


Episode 2-15 - "Blast from the Past"

by stgjr



Series: Undiscovered Frontier Season 2 - "Whispers of Destiny" [15]
Category: Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Multi-Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Multiple Crossovers, Multiverse, Space Opera
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-07
Updated: 2017-07-12
Packaged: 2018-11-29 00:48:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 42,845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11429685
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stgjr/pseuds/stgjr
Summary: The Aurora crew must protect an Earth seeking Alliance membership from a powerful empire.





	1. Chapter 1

**Teaser**  
  
  
  
_Ship's Log: ASV Aurora; 24 September 2642. Captain Robert Dale recording. We are currently en route to Earth in Universe Designate N2C5 to oversee the final stage of negotiations for a new member system in the Alliance. The_ Aurora _was retasked to this purpose in light of concerns about potential hostility from other powers in the area. We will be attending all proper diplomatic receptions, but my officers and crew will be here primarily to act as protectors for the occasion in the hope that this will deter any planned aggression.  
  
I admit that finding there are states willing to join our Alliance even if it means being drawn into the war with the Third Reich gives me a sense of admiration and pride. Whatever its flaws, the Alliance is still shaping up to become something that I believe it was worth building. It makes getting up every day and facing my duties easier knowing the good we are accomplishing._  
  
  
  
A good breakfast awaited Robert in the Lookout. Zack and Julia were already waiting as well at their usual table in the corner. Hargert had put together a nourishing meal of breakfast sausages, fluffy toasted bread with butter and jam, and a ham and cheese omelette that covered an entire plate. Orange juice, fresh, rounded out the meal, with tea to come afterward. His friends had already eaten their way through their meal. "So, running late again?" asked Zack.  
  
"I was up a little later than I thought. I'm afraid Lucy's enthusiasm hasn't borne results with me yet." Robert rubbed slightly at his forehead. They'd spent two hours trying to help him put together one of her new lightsabers. But the parts just wouldn't come together for him.  
  
"Why doesn't Lucy just build one for you?" Julia inquired.  
  
"She offered, but something… it doesn't feel right to me," Robert said. "To be honest, I don't think I'll ever be as strong in this stuff as they are, training or no training. And I'm not sure there's a point me in running around with a sword when, if there's a fight, I'm better off using a gun."  
  
"Fair enough."  
  
Robert started in on his breakfast, leaving Zack and Julia to talk to one another. "Your deadline's coming up, isn't it?" Zack asked.  
  
Julia was chewing on her breakfast and her only reaction was a glare.  
  
"I'm not trying… look." Zack sighed. "You've got to give an answer to Maran soon, right? So he knows if he needs another candidate for the _Enterprise_?"  
  
Julia finished swallowing. "Zack, I'm still thinking about it," she said. "It's a lot to think about."  
  
"Yeah," he agreed. "But we both know it's the best move for you. I mean, Captain of the _Enterprise_. I'm no naval buff, and even I know that there are people who would sell their souls to get that posting. And Maran gave you first dibs on it."  
  
"I'm incredibly honored, too." Julia pushed her fork into a small mound of hashed potatoes on her plate. "And I'm completely tempted. But there's a part of me that…" She set the fork down and glanced toward Robert. He met her eyes but said nothing, opting to drink orange juice instead. "Farmer and Scotty and Tom and Jarod… they built the _Aurora_. But I feel like she's mine too."  
  
"You named her, yeah," Zack said. "Who knows, if we never lost the Facility, maybe you'd have been her captain while Robert remained behind to oversee things."  
  
There was no immediate response from Julia on that. "Maybe that's it," she admitted. "Maybe I would rather command the _Aurora_." She gave Robert a sad look. "But I could never do it at your expense."  
  
He finished swallowing and shook his head. "I know, Julie." Robert set his fork into the omelette again. "Sometimes I think you should be Captain and not me."  
  
"What would you do then?"  
  
"Go to New Liberty, I guess," Robert said. "Find a plot of land, build a farmhouse and a farm. Grow some grains, get some cows…"  
  
"Even after all of this, you'd do that?" Julia asked. "A Multiverse of possibilities, and you'd give it up for a farm?"  
  
"I guess it does sound silly," Robert admitted. "But I miss it."  
  
"I don't." Zack shook his head. "Your parents were great people, Robert, but I used to avoid sleepovers at your place just to get out of morning farm chores."  
  
"Well, you weren't from Kansas originally, of course you'd want to get out of it," Robert guffawed. He looked to Julia with a twinkle in his eye. "But it wasn't all hard work. Do you remember when Grandpa…?"  
  
Julia smiled in reply. "I do," she answered. "I couldn't stop laughing."  
  
Robert nodded. His green eyes reflected old joys touched by the pain of loss. "Sometimes I wish I could go back to those days. To just have the family together on the farm, like it was back then."  
  
"I miss my mother," Zack said. "It didn't matter how tired she was or how worn down Dad's drinking made her, Mom always had a smile and a hug for me when she thought I needed it."  
  
"We all miss something from our pasts," Julia said. And it was clear she was considering her own. "My parents would have loved it out here. And I like to think they'd be proud of me."  
  
"They would be," Robert insisted. "You've become everything they could have hoped you'd be."  
  
Julia nodded. Looking down at her plate and seeing it was mostly empty, she let out a breath. "Well, it's been fun, but someone has to get on the bridge soon, and it looks like it'll be me."  
  
"Not for long. Ledosh and Emissary Yadin want you coming with us when we get to Earth in…" Robert checked his omnitool time. "Wow. Barely an hour left. I'd better get eating."  
  
"And I have paperwork that needs to be finished." Julia eyed Zack. "As do you. Don't think I haven't forgotten about that overdue ship readiness report, Zack."  
  
Zack raised his eyes skyward, as if appealing to a higher power on the matter. When he looked back down he said, "You'll have it on your desk by the end of the day, O Responsible One."  
  
Julia gave Zack a playful punch in the arm and left.  
  
  
  
  
Holodeck 1 had again been set to resemble a meditation courtyard in the Gersallian style. Meridina was seated in her meditation robes and, if possible, would have glowed with delight.  
  
Nearby were two more robed figures, although their robes and suits lacked the simplicity of those Meridina and Lucy were wearing. _Mastrash_ Ledosh was wearing his purple robes with blue trim, marking him as a member of the governing Council of the Order of Swenya, while his student and apprentice Gina Inviere wore the blue robe of a prospective field _swevyra'se_ , or "Knight" in the closest Human-English term.  
  
Lucy was in simple training robes as well and knelt before the work table. All three felt her power flowing through her and into the multitude of objections that she was assembling in mid-air. Once the cylindrical object was complete it was in the rough shape of a flashlight, complete with a hook for fixing to belts. It was colored white and gold with a prominent blue circle that clearly functioned as a button, much like the models on Lucy's belt and on Meridina's.  
  
Lucy stood to her full height and reached her right hand out to the object. After her creation came to her palm, she gripped it and held it out. Her finger pressed the blue circle. An electronic snap split the air and lingered off with a short hiss, and a fine green blade pure light surged from the object. It buzzed in the air, said buzz changing in pitch and tone as Lucy drew it over to a slab of solid metal and severed the slab in two with a single stroke, all to the awe of her visitors.  
  
" _Hamatu kena'se_ ," Ledosh breathed. "Magnificent. Simply magnificent, Lucy Lucero."  
  
Lucy turned the blade off. She levitated the weapon in her hand and sent it over toward Ledosh, who accepted it. He turned the blade back on and quietly swung it a few times, getting the feel for it. "How does it feel, _Mastrash_?" Lucy asked.  
  
"Like I am wielding Light itself in my hand," the older Gersallian master said. "A _swenkesh_. You have built a _swenkesh_." He turned the weapon off and looked over the hilt.  
  
Lucy nodded. She had learned enough Gersallian to know that the root term " _swen_ " meant light, or rather, the Light of Life. Swenya herself had been named for the Light of Life, and Lucy found it a truly meaningful name given what she accomplished.  
  
She was surprised to see him bow deeply to her. "Were you in the Order, Lucy Lucero, this alone would merit for you the title of _Mastrash_. You have restored an ancient art that my people forgot they once possessed. The Order, no, the people of Gersal will be forever bound to your memory by this."  
  
"I don't wish them to be," Lucy answered. "I'm offering what I know free of any debt. This is something your Order, that all who walk in the Light, should know. While you're here, I'll show you how I learned to put these together."  
  
Ledosh shook his head. "I am no engineer. Learning how to forge a _lakesh_ was difficulty enough."  
  
"You don't need to be an engineer, _Mastrash_ ," Lucy said. "That's where I went wrong for so long. This is a weapon that embodies what our power can do and what it means. You have to see it through your _swevyra_ , and once you do, you can assemble your own."  
  
"This is true," Meridina said. She took the hilt of her weapon, marked with blue instead of gold, and a blue blade came forth when she activated the weapon. After a moment she turned it off. "And if I can build this…" Meridina smiled. "...well, you do recall my first efforts at a _lakesh_ , do you not?"  
  
Ledosh laughed. It was a warm laugh too. "That I do, Meridina. Yes, I can see what Lucy means." He offered the new weapon to Lucy.  
  
She shook her head. "Keep it. Study it with your _swevyra_ , then build your own and give it to another to study. And have everyone pass it on so that everyone learns."  
  
"I shall do so," Ledosh said, smiling. "Gladly."  
  
A tone came from within the folds of his cream white vest and tunic. Ledosh pulled out a small communication unit and held it up to his mouth. "I am here."  
  
"Mastrash, _we're arriving at Earth N2C5 in a few minutes_ ," said Robert's voice. " _Emissary Yadin is already heading to the shuttle bay_."  
  
"Ah. I shall be there." Ledosh nodded. He clipped his new test lightsaber to his belt on the right hip, opposite his _lakesh_. "I shall see you again later, Lucy, Meridina. I look forward to your training."  
  
"I look forward to teaching you," Lucy answered, looking to both Ledosh and Gina. " _Mi rake sa swevyra iso_."  
  
" _Mi rake sa swevyra iso_ ," they answered, after which they left the holodeck.  
  
  
  
  
Robert had proposed taking the new runabout _Zambezi_ down, but he had been vetoed by Emissary Yadin who felt that the _Zambezi_ , though a normal cargo runabout, was still too large and not quite the signal he wanted to send. Instead they were going down in the shuttle _Gerard_. Robert and Julia were seated in the back with Ledosh, Gina, Emissary Shimon Yadin, and his daughter and assistant Leora Yadin. The Yadins spoke English with a Yiddish accent, Leora's less pronounced, and Yadin was conversing about his more sobering experience in acting as emissary to the provisional governments of worlds liberated from the Third Reich in Universe S4W8. "The poison of hatred has not left simply because the SS and the Nazi armies have been driven away," he was saying. "Anti-Semitism and other forms of racism and specieism persist on many of those worlds. I had people spitting on me on Gamma Taurus 3 once they realized I was a Jew. And most of the colonists on the planet were Levantine and Greek! They were non-Aryans to the Reich and treated terribly. But they still waste their energy on hating Jews!"  
  
"Divide and conquer," Julia said. "The Nazis keep their subject nations hating each other, and hating a common target other than themselves, and it makes forming resistances harder."  
  
"Yes. S4W8's world of New Ulster rejected Emissary Williams because she was a devout Catholic! It is madness, all madness. I wonder if we can ever heal such wounds…"  
  
"They have been in darkness for centuries, Emissary," Ledosh said. "It will take time to heal them. But it will be worth it."  
  
Robert and Julia noticed Gina nodding in agreement, which was in off itself a very meaningful gesture on her part.  
  
At the helm of the shuttle, Ensign Violeta Arterria looked back. "We're on final approach. And they're ready for us."  
  
"Take us in gently, Ensign," Robert answered. "I want to make a good impression."  
  
  
  
  
The shuttle flew in on a city of gleaming white structures and wide walkways bridging many of them. Violeta piloted them into an open port in the side of one of the main structures, bringing them into an open hangar bay.  
  
Once they had landed the rear hatch of the shuttle opened. Robert and Julia followed side-by-side with Emissary Yadin and _Mastrash_ Ledosh toward several standing individuals. Peculiarly, one was clearly a robot or android of some sort with the height of a child and a circular device with blinking diodes hanging from its neck and obscuring most of its chest. Yadin directed their attention to the central figure, a thin gray-haired mind whose pale blue eyes showed appreciation for the occasion. "Good to be back," he said. "This is my colleague, _Mastrash_ Ledosh of the Gersallian Interdependency, a member of the Council of the Order of Swenya, and his assistant Gina Inviere." Yadin gestured to Robert and Julia next. "And these good people are some of our best; Captain Robert Dale and Commander Julia Andreys of the Alliance _Starship Aurora_." Yadin turned to face the others and gestured to the central figure. "Everyone, this is Doctor Elias Huer, the Director of the Earth Defense Directorate and Acting Director of their Foreign Directorate."  
  
"Greeting, everyone," said the gray-haired man. "I am quite honored to welcome you to New Chicago on behalf of the United Earth Alliance."  
  
Robert waited for Ledosh to finish shaking Huer's hand before he did so. "A pleasure, Doctor," he said.  
  
"A pleasure to meet you," Julia said at her handshake.  
  
"Here are a few of my colleagues. Doctor Theopolis of the Computer Council." Huer gestured to the robot nearby, or rather to the disc on his chest.  
  
Said disc lit up with blinking red and purple lights, the wide thin purple lights giving the disc something of a face with their positioning implying eyes. "Greetings," it said. "I look forward to the successful completion of our discussions."  
  
The others nodded back. Robert remembered that the briefing materials mentioned that the United Earth Alliance's leadership included Artificial Intelligences like Doctor Theopolis. Working with Lt. Commander Data from Starfleet had cured him of any concern about artificial lifeforms, but he suspected that others might not be so happy. The Citadel Council of M4P2, for instance, banned AI research and development, and he idly wondered how they'd take this.  
  
Next Huer gestured to an attractive woman in a white uniform with a rainbow-colored band on the arm. Her light brown hair was shoulder-length and, for the moment, not kept in a bun or ponytail. "This is Colonel Wilma Deering, my military advisor and commander of New Chicago's defense squadron."  
  
"Colonel." Again the handshakes and pleasantries. Robert and Julia both felt her light blue eyes, almost gray in coloration, appraise them closely.  
  
"And last but certainly not least, a unique individual who works for my office when we need his talents," Huer was saying. He indicated a well-built man in the same uniform as Dearing, his posture confident. He had close-combed brown hair that Robert felt gave him a military feel, although not strictly military, with warm brown eyes and a face that seemed ready to grin easy.  
  
Indeed, he didn't wait for his introduction. He extended a hand toward them. "My name's Buck," he said warmly. "Captain Buck Rogers." A smile crossed his face as his hand went toward Robert and Julia. "Good to meet you."  
  
  


**Undiscovered Frontier  
_"Blast from the Past"_**

  
  
  
The courtyard of the Earth government complex had been set up for the formal reception after the opening round of talks. Long tables bearing plates and trays of various foods were tended to by bright-suited waiting staff, while others in gray and white suits like Doctor Huer's milled around. At one end a stand had been erected for more computer forms like that of Doctor Theopolis. Near the stand with the AI attendees were a pair of flags, one showing the stylized globes of the Earth, Moon, and Mars on a dark blue field with a golden wreath framing the three globes, the other was the tetracolor flag of the United Alliance of Systems.  
  
After seeing that everyone else had beamed down in time for the reception, Robert and Julia remained with Ledosh and Huer, with Gina remaining a slight distance behind. "Since our contact earlier this year, Earth has been debating this step," Huer was saying. "And many of us have agreed that our future is in your Alliance."  
  
"The Alliance will be pleased to welcome your Earth into our number," Ledosh answered. "I am honored to be here to help your people, whatever their final choice."  
  
Theopolis spoke up next, still carried by the short robot. "The Computer Council is still deliberating a few points on our membership petition. But I am confident these matters will be handled to satisfaction in the talks."  
  
"Biddi-biddi-biddi, just make sure you read the fine print so we're not stuck with a raw deal," said another electronic voice, clearly coming from the robot carrying Theopolis.  
  
"Twiki, that was quite undiplomatic of you," Theopolis scolded calmly.  
  
Julia raised her eyebrows. "Twiki?"  
  
"Twiki is a personal assistant ambuquad," answered Theopolis. "Much to my regret, he has been picking up Captain Rogers' 20th Century idioms and metaphors."  
  
"Keep talking, wise guy," Twiki retorted, his voice definitely deeper than Theopolis'.  
  
Robert directed his attention to Huer. "Doctor, do you have any expectations from joining the Alliance?"  
  
"Well, we do believe it will make our universe more peaceful," Huer admitted. "The Alliance has the means to secure peace in our region of the galaxy and to make aggressive powers reluctant to act against Earth and other friendly worlds."  
  
"What kind of hostile powers are in this area of space?" asked Julia.  
  
"Well, there are a number of worlds that have embarked on aggression. We've had problems with the Ruathan, for instance. And Lozeria has been hostile. Aldebaran is chaotic and provides problems for our security." Huer was clearly building up to one last item, and one that Robert could sense he considered the worst. "And the Draconian Empire is certainly the greatest threat to Earth and many other worlds."  
  
"And they're all Human-looking?" asked Robert.  
  
"Many are, even the Draconians," Huer said. "We have theories about the possibility of Humans being transplanted to other worlds centuries or millennia ago by an unknown civilization."  
  
Robert felt a memory in the back of his head. "There are records of this happening in other universes. The Federation in S5T3 has recorded encounters with artifacts from a species called the Preservers, for instance, who were known to do such things."  
  
"It might make for an interesting research study," Julia said. "Although we have encountered alien species that look Human externally without actually being Human."  
  
"Indeed," said Ledosh. "I have been mistaken for Human many times."  
  
"And the Darglan recorded a few other instances of such," Robert said.  
  
"The Darglan…? Ah, yes." Huer smiled and nodded. "As I recall, they were the source of your interuniversal technology."  
  
"Among a number of other things, yes," Robert replied.  
  
"I look forward to further access to files on the Darglan and their technology," said Theopolis. "It will be interesting to learn more about a species that discovered interuniversal technology."  
  
"It's just a shame there aren't any left," Julia said, a slight frown creasing her features. "The Darglan were wiped out a thousand years ago by the Shadows."  
  
"Truly a tragedy," Theopolis agreed.  
  
Emissary Yadin and his daughter walked back up with an East Asian woman. "Ah, I see you've found Doctor Sung, Emissary," Huer said. "She is head of our Food and Medicine Directorate."  
  
"I am sorry I am late," the woman said in accented English. "My shuttle from New Seoul was delayed."  
  
"Well, allow me to introduce you to Emissary Ledosh, Captain Dale, and Commander Andreys from the United Systems," Huer said amiably.  
  
"My pleasure," she said to them, accepting handshakes. "Emissary Yadin and I have been speaking on the technology the Alliance has available to assist in our work. Your replicator technology, for instance…"  
  
Sensing where the conversation was going, Robert and Julia exchanged glances and he sighed. "Why don't you go check on the others?" he asked her.  
  
She gave him a warm smile and slipped away from the ensuing discussion.  
  
  
  
  
Zack and Barnes were off to themselves at the reception, quietly watching everyone go by. "It makes me think of how people in the Federation dress," Zack admitted.  
  
"You mean the jumpsuit look?" Barnes chuckled. "It's a bit off. I wouldn't want to be in one off those damn things. And the uniforms… dude, wearing white, I'd hate to see their laundry bill."  
  
"Heh." Zack nodded. Thoughts crossed his head and he decided to go straight to the point. "Karen should be back at the end of the month."  
  
"Cool," Barnes answered.  
  
"That means you'll be back on the _Aurora_."  
  
"Hey, it's where I belong." Barnes noticed Zack's look and shook his head. "No, man, I love the _Koenig_ , but the _Aurora_ , she's my babe, y'know? Scotty and me make sure she remains the best ship in the whole damn fleet."  
  
"Yeah, I can understand that." Zack took a sip of what tasted like a fruit drink. He had intentionally sought non-alcoholic refreshments. "I've been giving thought to resigning," he admitted.  
  
Barnes clearly wasn't surprised. "Clara?"  
  
"She deserves to be happy," Zack said. "I'm not sure how happy she can be if I'm always a universe and a light year away. I figured we could get a home on New Caprica, I could spend my time as a baseball coach."  
  
"Heh, you've made them all nuts for baseball," Barnes agreed. He sipped his drink. "So what's holding you back?"  
  
"Well, I can't leave until the war's over. Regulations on that," Zack said. "And I feel the same way about the _Koenig_ that you do about the _Aurora_. She's my ship, my gut-punching girl, and I love to fly her."  
  
"Or command Apley on how to fly her," Barnes pointed out. He patted Zack on the shoulder. "You'll figure something out."  
  
"Yeah." Zack took a final drink. As he did he scanned the crowd and spotted an interesting sight.  
  
Barnes saw it too. "The hot brunette in the blue uniform suit?" he asked.  
  
"And the guy beside her. The one dressed in… our kind of clothes." Zack had nearly said 'normal' but caught himself. The Multiverse had long shown him that what seemed normal to him was no longer anything close to normal. Which the man had on, wearing a brown jacket over a light-colored polo shirt with dark slacks.  
  
They stepped up to the two, who were quietly talking. "Hey," Zack said. "I'm Commander Zack Carrey, captain of the _Koenig_."  
  
"Lieutenant Tom Barnes, currently Acting Chief Engineer of the _Koenig_ ," Barnes added.  
  
The man smiled widely while the lady beside him had only a faint diplomatic grin. "I'm Buck. Captain Buck Rogers. Nice to meet you."  
  
"Colonel Wilma Deering," the brunette said. After shaking their hands she asked, "Doctor Huer said that there was a second ship with the _Aurora_ , but it's not showing on our scanners. Did your ship leave you behind?"  
  
"No, we're actually docked to the _Aurora_ ," Zack explained. "The _Koenig_ packs a big punch for her size and she's got agility and speed, but she's really just a flying cruiser battery and she's not built for operating on her own for long. So we stay on the _Aurora_ unless we're needed for something." He smiled wistfully. "I used to pilot her myself, but I'm her commander now."  
  
"I noticed the wings," Buck said. "Are you a fighter pilot?"  
  
"Certified, yeah," Zack said. "But I don't fly regularly. What about you?"  
  
"I fly all the time," Wilma answered. "Buck sometimes joins us if the mission calls for it."  
  
By this point the familiar, easy tone that Buck used was clearly setting him apart from Colonel Deering. Barnes asked, "You sound more like us than them, Captain Rogers, I guess you're not native here?"  
  
"Oh, I was born and raised in Chicago," he replied. "The original Chicago, back in the 20th Century."  
  
Zack and Barnes looked at him with surprise. "So you're… what? A time traveler?" Barnes asked. "Or are you from H1E4 Earth like us?"  
  
Buck brought a finger up and smiled. "I thought you sounded too familiar to be from a space age Earth. You're from the 20th Century too?"  
  
"Born in the 20th," Zack said. "Although it's the 21st now in H1E4."  
  
Buck laughed and took Zack's hand again. "Well, how about that. Where are you from?"  
  
"Born in Springfield, Illinois, raised in the middle of nowhere, Kansas," Zack replied.  
  
"My family moved to Kansas from Florida," Barnes said, accepting a handshake as well. "So, how'd you get to the 25th Century, Captain?"  
  
"Call me Buck," was the initial answer. "I got here as a popsicle. I was an Air Force pilot and astronaut and they fired me off on a one-man deep space mission. Something went wrong and I was frozen for five hundred years." Buck shook his head, even though the smile on his face didn't fade. "Waking up to find myself in the future was quite a shock."  
  
"Damn," Barnes said. "That had to be crazy."  
  
"How did you end up traveling on a spacecraft?" Wilma asked them.  
  
"Well, my best friend found out that the mound on his family property was actually a marker for the location of a Darglan Facility," Zack replied. "And it all kind of snowballed from there."  
  
"Are you two enjoying yourselves?" asked Julia, who stepped up to join them. "Good to see you again, Colonel, Captain."  
  
"It's nice to see you too, Commander," Buck said. His grin widened as his brown eyes took in Julia's appearance. There was no mistaking the interest reflected in them. Julia, fully aware of it, smiled in return as her aquamarine eyes looked toward him, as if to say she was aware of the interest, was not offended by it, and might even consider returning it. "So, are you from this… H1E4 Earth as well?"  
  
"I am," Julia answered. "You look like you could be too, honestly."  
  
"Buck is from our 20th Century," Wilma said. She gave him a bemused look. "And it can be trying at times."  
  
Julia gave Buck a look over. "Well, you dress like it. But how?"  
  
"I was an astronaut and my ship ended up freezing me," he replied, clearly not interested in repeating the entire story. "I take it you're also from Kansas?"  
  
"Born in Wichita, raised beside a farm," Julia replied, smiling. "Given the accent and attitude… Chicago, right?"  
  
Buck nodded.  
  
"You remind me of my cousin's boyfriend."  
  
Zack snorted out a laugh in his attempt to restrain from laughing. Buck noticed and could see where this was going. "I'm guessing you weren't a fan?" he asked Julia.  
  
Julia smiled widely. "He wasn't very faithful. And he tried not to be faithful with me."  
  
"Oh, that… yeah, I remember that frakker," Barnes said. "You spent the night in jail, right?"  
  
"Well, there was a deputy right there who was always self-conscious about 'girls' being able to beat up guys," Julia answered. "But the jerk couldn't press charges without having to admit what happened. Mister Dale picked me up the next morning."  
  
"As in Captain Dale?" Buck asked.  
  
"As in Robert's dad," she replied. "A number of us grew up together, Captain Rogers."  
  
"Call me Buck."  
  
"Buck, then." Julia nodded. "I'm Julia. Colonel?"  
  
"Wilma will do," she said, looking at Julia with some respect, at least for rank. "Are you a pilot like Commander Carrey?" Wilma asked.  
  
"I can pilot a runabout or a shuttle," Julia replied, "and I know my way around the helm of a starship. But I've never taken the time to get my wings like Zack has. I've found starship operation and command to be my calling." She gave Zack and Barnes a look that told them she would be irritated if they brought up the offer for the _Enterprise_. "If you want to talk about fighters, I believe Commander Laurent beamed down for the reception." She looked around until she confirmed it; Patrice Laurent, born on their Earth in the Central African Republic, was currently standing with Nick Locarno talking to one of the N2C5 Earth officers by another table.  
  
"What do you fly?" Zack asked them.  
  
"The Thunderhead model heavy starfighter," Wilma answered. "It's atmosphere-capable with eight laser cannons and hardpoints for two anti-ship missiles."  
  
"Not bad. We have the Mongoose multi-role fighter on the _Aurora_ , she's a medium-weight fighter with four pulse phaser cannons and hardpoints for missiles or torpedoes. And atmospheric capability."  
  
"Sounds like one of the F-18s they were developing in my day," said Buck. "I hope to fly one some time."  
  
"If everything goes through, you may get your chance," said Julia.  
  
  
  
  
"...and the Association of Aldebarani Colonies has spearheaded amazing advancements in repairing biospheres subjected to repeated radiological damage," Yadin was saying to Sung. "Your Earth's shortage of agricultural land could be reversed within a decade, depending upon the work needed."  
  
"That would be wonderful," Sung agreed. "Earth's reliance upon imported food has been used as a weapon against us before."  
  
"Restoring your people to self-sufficiency in food is one of many things we hope to aid you with." Yadin nodded to them. "And there is the matter of power generation. I have heard you use anti-matter reactors?"  
  
"We do," Huer said.  
  
"Naqia is a safer and superior alternative, Doctor," Robert said. "Numerous other civilizations we've met are swapping to it as soon as they reasonably can."  
  
"We've already begun studies on this substance and have found a few deposits, although I'm not sure how well…"  
  
As Huer, Theopolis, and Sung continued to speak with Ledosh and Yadin, Robert felt a tingle at the back of his neck. It grew, in power and strength, until it took on the feel of a full strength warning. It made him more alert than he had been before. His eyes scanned the crowds. The officers from his ship, the staff from Yadin's embassy in New Chicago, the various New Chicagoans and Earth officials and staff…  
  
The staff. As in the waiting staff.  
  
Robert felt the attack coming just before it started. He reached his arm out and twisted in place, allowing him to intercept and grab the wrist of the waiter who was pulling a firearm up toward Huer. He lifted the offending weapon high as the assassin pulled the trigger. Small darts of ruby light struck out and missed Huer's head by two centimeters, scorching his gray-white hair.  
  
Robert felt the assassin react and shifted fully to face him - a man of swarthy complexion, dark eyes, and dark hair. He used his left hand to keep a grip on the gun, thus freeing his right arm so he could drive his elbow into the stomach of the assassin. The man doubled over and lost his grip on the weapon. Robert gave him a solid, knuckle-bruising punch to the jaw. The man toppled.  
  
Given the screams and shouts, it was immediately clear he wasn't the only one.  
  
  
  
  
Zack was the one who cried, "Look out!"  
  
Julia had already heard the sound of a blow coming from somewhere else in the courtyard. She turned in time to see the waiter, a small Caucasian man with a slight tan and dark blond hair, bring a gun up toward Wilma. She kicked the gun and the hand it was attached to just before it could be fired. The would-be assassin turned to face her and brought his arms up to attack. Julia readied herself and caught the first punch by deflecting it with her right forearm. Wilma moved in with a punch of her own that knocked the assassin back. He started to rise again.  
  
As the cries continued, Zack and Buck soon spotted another armed waiter, a big one, threatening a couple of civilian staff. They charged him and caught him in a tackle that knocked the gun out of his hand, all three hitting the ground. Nearby Zack heard Caterina crying out in shock and the familiar grunt - Angel had just decked someone hard - but he had his own worries as the big guy grabbed him by the back of the neck and bodily threw him off. Zack rolled for a moment and got to his knees. Buck was doing the same thing. Their foe lifted himself to his feet and snarled. He charged at Buck, who ducked the right hook and drove his fist into the big guy's torso, just barely missing the solar plexus. A second, swifted punch from the big guy sent Buck falling backward.  
  
Zack stepped up and kicked the big guy in the leg. Much to his dissatisfaction, it didn't seem to take him out. It did, however, draw his attention, and he threw a wicked backhand swipe at Zack that he barely stopped with his forearms. A couple of months of occasional Fight Nights on the _Galactica_ came back for Zack, who threw a punch that Lee Adama had taught him. It caught the big guy in the side of the jaw and knocked out teeth. Blood came from his foe's mouth with a roar of pain and anger. "Oh crap," Zack breathed as he tried to catch the next blow. He didn't quite manage it. Even though it hit his forearms, it hit with enough force to knock him onto his back. Laying prone, he watched the attacker step up and raise a fist to hit him again.  
  
And then Buck jumped on the big man's back. He wrapped his arms in a chokehold around his neck with a determined look on his face. Zack kicked with his foot and smashed the giant's kneecap, making him roar despite Buck's hold on his throat. Zack scrambled back to his feet while the big guy swung around, trying to pull Buck off his back. He started backing up toward one of the courtyard's ornamental trees. When he hit it Buck grimaced, now stuck between a tree and a hard place. Zack moved up and kicked at the knee cap again, getting it at a different angle. He could swear he heard it crack this time, and the giant certainly screamed and dropped to a knee. Zack followed that up with a right hook against the giant's face, hitting the same side he'd struck before. Pain filled his knuckles from the impact.  
  
And still the big guy didn't go down.  
  
Barnes jumped in to help with the fight. Unlike Zack, he had absolutely no fight training, and a geek's built-in dislike of fisticuffs. Nevertheless he threw a punch, a bad punch that would have broken his knuckles before it did anything to the assassin.  
  
Or it would have, at least, if he hadn't been fighting dirty and sent the punch between the giant's legs.  
  
A shrill cry, higher than the earlier grunts, came from the big man. He collapsed onto his knees and then pitched forward.  
  
Buck, breathing heavily, let go of their foe's neck and climbed off. "The bigger they are…"  
  
"...the harder they… _watch out!_ "  
  
Despite everything the big assassin was getting back up. Zack and Buck turned at Barnes' warning and, in the same motion, threw punches at the assassin's head. His face was big enough that their punches landed without their fists bumping together. The assassin toppled over onto his back and was out like a light.  
  
Zack and Buck were both wringing their hands in an attempt to soothe their bruised, hurting knuckles.  
  
  
  
  
The small waiter who had tried to shoot Wilma was proving to be a nasty in-fighter. He moved quickly enough to deflect and counter the blows Julia and Wilma were sending at him. Julia managed to evade one such counter-attack and grapple his arm long enough for Wilma to deliver a kick to his ribs that made him double over.  
  
Before Julia could take advantage, someone grabbed her left arm. She was roughly spun and took a punch from another, larger man that was half a centimeter off from breaking her nose. It forced her to let go of the first killer. Her attacker grabbed her by the throat and squeezed until she was choking. Wilma, recognizing the danger, grabbed the wrist doing the choking and kicked at the face of the choker. But the first assassin jumped on her back and pulled her away, leaving Julia to fend for herself as both hands now closed on her throat.  
  
Julia gathered her strength, knowing this was a death grip she had to escape, and grabbed the arm. This gave her the leverage she needed to shift her body and get her legs up to deliver a savage kick to the man's throat. He gagged and let go enough for her to breathe. But only that far, as he kept his grip long enough to throw Julia back. She hit the low railing around the nearby flower garden and toppled over it and back into the cool, dark soil.  
  
Julia started to get back to her feet. She only had seconds to think about things. As she did, she noticed that the garden had been sectioned off, presumably for different types of flowers.  
  
And they had been sectioned off by thin wooden poles.  
  
She grabbed one with her right hand and pulled it out as she stood up. It wasn't quite two feet in length, being right about fifty-five centimeters, which for her was good enough. Julia stood up as her attacker, recovered from the throat kick, was coming back for her. She hopped over the garden divider back onto the pavement of the courtyard and slipped beside him as he charged to grab her. She brought the stick up and slammed him in the side, hard enough that he cried out in pain, and used her free left hand to throw a jabbing punch that smacked him in the face. He fell backward.  
  
Julia turned to face him. As she did, she felt someone brush up behind her. Wilma had blood seeping from the corner of her mouth and her uniform was disheveled, but she was still in the fight. In front of her, the short assassin was in a combat stance, bruises on his face from Wilma's blows. Julia's opponent also showed the results of her fighting prowess on him.  
  
"A weapon?" Wilma asked.  
  
"Just a stick from your garden," Julia answered. "But I've been working on my eskrima, and I could use the practice."  
  
"Right."  
  
The two assassins had been looking at each other past the uniformed women standing between them. They charged together.  
  
Julia and Wilma separated briefly. Wilma exchanged blows with her quick, agile foe. Julia caught her opponent's punch, flowed under and around the blow, and smacked him in the face with her new weapon. When he fell back in surprise, she caught him in the elbow with the stick and used a snap kick to knock him back further. When he rushed ahead again she shouted "Incoming!" and ducked low. Her leg caught his in a roundhouse kick that threw him off-balance and sent him stumbling forward.  
  
Wilma, having heard the warning, feinted a blow at her adversary to draw him into an attack. He took it, the frustration on his face making clear his desire to end their match. This gave Wilma the opening and leverage she needed to grab at his arm. He might have pulled free of the grab, but Wilma had no intention of holding him and giving him time. She immediately smacked him in the face with her free elbow, smashing his nose, and threw him off-balance toward Julia.  
  
The timing was just a little off, as Julia's foe nearly ran into her. But the effect was as desired; the two assassins slammed into each other and toppled. Caught up in each other, they were in no position to resist Julia's stick or Wilma's fist when they came down. Both collapsed unconscious to the ground.  
  
The two looked at each other. "Nice work," Julia said.  
  
"Thank you." Wilma nodded.  
  
  
  
  
Another assassin came for Huer. This assassin never stood a chance.  
  
Robert had met _Mastrash_ Ledosh before the Alliance was formed, years before he knew he had the potential to wield the same power. In all of that time, on ever occasion he met Meridina's mentor, he'd never seen the older man actually use his abilities in a fight.  
  
Now, however, that streak would end.  
  
Ledosh surprised everyone by pulling a weapon from his belt. Robert recognized it as one of Lucy's new weapons, one of her "lightsaber"s. An electronic snap brought a green blade into existence that intercepted several more pulses of ruby light. Gina moved into action with her own blade, which extended out with a metallic shriek. Her weapon intercepted shots from a third foe and sent them back. One deflected blast struck the second in the chest. There was a puff of flame on the killer's waiter uniform for a moment while he fell back.  
  
Robert thought Ledosh and Gina had the attack well in-hand. He didn't see or feel the last one emerge from the nearby bush until it was almost too late. He came up with a pistol aimed at Huer's back. Robert reached out and gripped the weapon with his power to throw it off-target. Red bolts shot out and, again, misser Huer.  
  
There was a cry. Doctor Song collapsed.  
  
Ledosh whipped around and joined his power to Robert's, pulling this last assassin into the open. In the blink of an eye he was across the distance. The assassin screamed as his gun, and the hands holding it, fell from his arms. Ledosh disengaged his new blade and returned it to his belt in a single movement while the shooter crumbled before him, holding up the stumps of his wrists.  
  
"Doctor Huer, are you alright?" Robert asked. Around them there were sounds of fighting and shots that were coming to an end.  
  
"Yes," the older man said, although his voice was shaking. "Doctor Song!" he called out, seeing the Korean woman on the ground with a blackened spot on her torso.  
  
Robert rushed over to her. He didn't need to put a hand to her neck to know she was alive, but he did so for appearance's sake. A weak pulse thrummed against his fingers. "She's alive, but wounded. We need medical help here! Leo!"  
  
Moments later Leo arrived, accompanied by Angel and Caterina. The wound on his face was already turning purple, standing out against the black skin. Leo's medical omnitool appeared around his left forearm while his right pulled up the dedicated medical scanner that went with it. "It looks like a plasma wound. Internal burning and organ damage to the lungs, stomach…" Leo tapped his omnitool to open a comm channel. "Gillam to Medbay, Medical Emergency, I need a full medical team beamed to my location ASAP."  
  
Doctor Lumenaram, a Gersallian physician, answered, " _Doctor Opani and a team are preparing to beam down now._ "  
  
"Will she make it, Leo?" Robert asked.  
  
"If we can stabilize her." Sweat was already forming on Leo's brow, but given the fight that had already raged this was to be expected. He looked up to Huer. "Doctor Huer, I'm not familiar with the full extent of your medical technology. I know I can stabilize her in our Medbay."  
  
"As you are the attending physician on the scene, Doctor, I'll leave the medical decisions to you." Huer was still clearly shaken.  
  
"Biddi-biddi-biddi, I hate party-crashers," protested Twiki.  
  
By the surrounding sounds, it was clear that the attackers had been dealt with. Robert looked up in time to see a number of the others walk up. Zack and Barnes were with Buck, and Julia came back with Wilma Deering. With the exception of Barnes, they showed clear signs of having been in the midst of the attack. "Is everyone okay?" Robert asked them.  
  
"Good enough." Barnes cracked a grin. "You should see the other frakking guys."  
  
Robert didn't particularly find the situation grin-worthy, but he said nothing.  
  
"Who are they?" Julia asked. "And how did so many sneak in?"  
  
"I'll have security begin an immediate investigation," Wilma said. "They may have taken the places of our entire waiting staff."  
  
Buck was already kneeling over the man Ledosh had disarmed, almost literally. The man's eyes were fuming with hatred, but he could do nothing to stop Buck from pulling his waiter's uniform open to reveal the tattoo of a red dragon. "A pirate, then," he said. "I think I've seen this before."  
  
It was Dr. Theopolis who stated, " _My analysis indicates it is the insignia of a pirate band known as the Dragon Legion_. _According to records… oh, this is most disconcerting._ "  
  
"Biddi-biddi-biddi, spit it out Doc."  
  
For all that the silver robot's attitude was grating, Robert had to admit he agreed with the sentiment.  
  
" _According to our intelligence sources, the Dragon Legion are a front for Draconian Intelligence._ "  
  
"The Draconians." Buck frowned. "Why am I not surprised they'd pull something? They can't be happy that Earth is joining your Alliance."  
  
"So this was an attempt to disrupt the final negotiations?" Huer's question was rhetorical. "No. No, that's not enough. This was too risky an attack to be a spiteful stab at our admission to the Alliance. My successors could negotiate it just as easily."  
  
That gave Robert a very sick feeling. "Of course, if you and Colonel Deering and the rest of us were dead or incapacitated…"  
  
Wilma and Buck shared worried looks. "Then the defense of New Chicago, of the whole Earth, would be completely compromised."  
  
There was a tone. An orange omnitool popped into existence around Huer's forearm. For a moment he tapped at it. "My apologies, we just issued them to our Directors and I'm still getting used…" After he hit the right key a face appeared, a woman in uniform in what looked like a command center. "Major Logan, report?"  
  
"Sir, the watch posts have picked up an unidentified vessel," the woman said with a strong Irish lilt. "Something big's come through the gate… and it's being escorted by Draconian Hatchet fighters."  
  
"How many?" Wilma asked.  
  
"At least two dozen," was the reply.  
  
"Then this is the main effort of the Draconian attack," Ledosh said calmly. He looked to Dale.  
  
Robert nodded. He lifted his left arm and brought up his azure-toned omnitool, just as it lit up above the back of his hand to indicate an incoming message. He pressed the light. "Dale here."  
  
" _Captain, there is a developing situation._ " The voice on the other end was Meridina's; she had assumed command to allow the rest of the command staff to go planetside for the reception. " _We are detecting a number of craft now in the system. By Ensign al-Rashad's estimates, the largest vessel appears to be on a course for Earth._ "  
  
"Standby." Robert looked to Ledosh and Huer. "We can make the intercept."  
  
Ledosh nodded and looked to Huer. "Doctor Huer, the Alliance is ready to assist you in repelling this treacherous assault."  
  
"Your assistance is welcomed," Huer said. "Colonel Deering, please join them."  
  
Deering looked to Robert. "My fighters will be joining you as quickly as we can launch."  
  
Robert nodded. "We'll be expecting you, then."  
  
Buck and Wilma started running for the nearest door.  
  
With help accounted for, Robert reopened the channel to the _Aurora_. "Meridina, have us all beamed back up. Put us on an intercept course and call Code Red. I want fighters and the _Koenig_ ready to launch."  
  
" _Launch preparations beginning. We are beaming you now._ "  
  
With the exception of Leo and his medical team the _Aurora_ and _Koenig_ officers attending were beamed back, bruises and all.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aurora crew must protect an Earth seeking Alliance membership from a powerful empire.

Meridina was watching with interest as the others returned. "Mister Scott is already in Engineering," she said, noting the bruises and injuries on Julia, Jarod, and Angel as they took their stations. "It would appear that the reception was more interesting than was expected?"  
  
"Oh, you know, assassins, guns." Julia took her chair and smiled wryly. "Everything you need to spice up a quiet reception."  
  
"I see." Meridina stepped away from the command chairs. "I shall prepare our security teams," she said as she walked away.  
  
"First fighter squadrons ready to launch," Julia said.  
  
"Launch," Robert answered.  
  
As the _Aurora_ raced on, light blue-colored Mongoose fighters began to shoot out from the launch tubes along her upper drive hull. The main body wasn't too different from an atmospheric jet fighter's fuselage, with the sublight engines built to connect the atmospheric flight wings - also the site of the missile-bearing hardpoints - to the main body of the craft.  
  
"Signal from Earth," Jarod said. "It's Colonel Deering."  
  
"Put her on."  
  
The voice of the Earth squadron commander came over the speaker. " _Captain, we'll be joining you as soon as we can get airborne. But half of my fighters were completely disabled by sabotage and our launch bays have been blocked with debris. It's going to take us several minutes to get airborne._ "  
  
"I read you, Colonel. Do what you can, we'll handle this." Robert looked back to Caterina at the Sensors/Science station. "Cat, can you give me scans of the craft?"  
  
"I'm trying, but they have a jamming field up," she said. "The best I can tell you is that it's the size of a small cruiser, but its mass is a lot heavier than it should be."  
  
"What do we have on the Draconians?" Robert asked. "Can you find anything in fleet logs?"  
  
"I'm looking, but so far all we have are long-range scans provided by exploration craft and trading ships," Caterina said. "And this craft's not matching exactly… it certainly is Draconian, at least if you ask me, but they didn't build it to their usual specs."  
  
"I'm tying us into Earth's systems," Jarod said. "Maybe they have something more."  
  
"I'm looking through the database now, but still nothing like that…" , Caterina stopped, as if stunned. " _Mother of God_ , it…"  
  
"Cat?" Robert and Julia both turned to face her intently. "What's going on?"  
  
Caterina was busy looking over her sensor returns. "I'm not getting any indication of life signs on that ship. I can't be sure until we're closer…"  
  
Robert considered that. And given the look of realization on Julia's face, he knew he didn't need life force powered-insight to know what this thing was. "It's not a ship," he said. "It's a _missile_."  
  
Jarod was already doing the calculations in his head. What he conceived horrified him just as much. "If it hits, even without a warhead it'll destroy any city it strikes. There could be millions of casualties."  
  
"Then we keep it from hitting," Robert declared. "Angel, lock weapons on that missile, fire when we're within range. Jarod, put me on an open channel."  
  
"You're on." Jarod's tone of voice made it clear how futile he figured it would be.  
  
"This is Captain Robert Dale of the Alliance _Starship Aurora_ from the United Alliance of Systems," Robert announced firmly. "You are violating the space of United Earth. On their behalf I'm ordering you to withdraw or you _will_ be fired upon."  
  
After several moments it was clear there was no response coming.  
  
"We'll be in weapons range in a minute," Jarod said.  
  
The minute might have been quiet, but Caterina spoke up again. "I'm picking up naqia," she said. "And naqia-grade power sources."  
  
"From the missile?" Julia asked.  
  
"And the fighters."  
  
"Then they might have naqia warhead anti-ship missiles or torpedoes," Julia said to Robert.  
  
He nodded in agreement. "Send Laurent's fighters forward." Robert tapped the comm key on his chair. "Bridge to _Koenig_. Are you ready, Zack?"  
  
" _My crew's at stations. We're preparing to launch_."  
  
As the distance closed and the _Koenig_ began their launch sequence, the Mongoose fighters finished closing the distance. "The Draconian fighters are accelerating to engage," said Jarod.  
  
  
  
  
The day was turning out quite hectic for Patrice Laurent. He'd gotten kicked in the stomach at the reception and now he was flying a combat sortie against a foe he had little information about. Half of his squadrons were still arming up back on the _Aurora_ , leaving him with four squadrons, 48 starfighters, behind him. "Bravo, Delta, prevent them from breaking through to the _Aurora_ ," Laurent ordered, his accented voice reflecting his origins in Francophone Africa. "Alpha and Gemini, you're with me. Remember to watch your backs out there, everyone."  
  
A number of affirmatives came. The most important ones for his personal safety were from the fighters in his command flight. The strong soprano of Lieutenant Gwen Skydancer, leading the second element of his flight, and alien voice of his Kerbal wingman Lieutenant Jebediah Kerman were reassurances he didn't take for granted.  
  
The first of the big, vicious-looking Hatchet fighters were coming up in view on Laurent's HUD. They looked almost like flying tridents, painted red as blood with their cockpits built above and at the back of their central point. Their heavy laser cannons stitched bright light in the void of space. Laurent had already changed his course and craft orientation to throw off the shot. He let his crosshairs move over the nearest craft before him and turn red before he opened up with his pulse phaser batteries. Amber light pulses nearly struck the enemy craft, which jinked in another direction at just the right moment to throw Laurent's aim off.  
  
He persisted by matching the maneuver of the Hatchet fighter, bringing his weapons back on target. Again amber fire crossed the distance, and this time he hit. Bright blue energy flickered over the Hatchet. Much to his consternation, though, he couldn't see anything showing a direct hit. No debris, no brief spurts of flame or plasma, nothing.  
  
"Enemy fighter acquiring," warned Ensign Sentana, a Lushan Dorei man who now served as his second seat sensor officer. Laurent heeded the warning and fired his engines and thrusters to execute a sharp one hundred and thirty degree turn in space. His fighter rumbled slightly. "Glancing hit. Rear deflectors down to eighty percent," Sentana said.  
  
His maneuver had put Laurent in place to fire at another Hatchet. Again his pulse phasers battered strong deflectors that didn't seem to give. This time he fired off an anti-fighter missile. It also slammed into the enemy fighter. The shields flickered and he hit it with another barrage of phaser fire before the Hatchet broke away. This time he was rewarded with what looked like slight damage. But only slight.  
  
" _I can't get a solid hit_ ," protested a pilot over the squadron channel. " _The deflectors on these things are too tough!_ "  
  
"Use missiles and steady fire," Laurent answered. "We have a numbers advantage. Work together and attack from multiple angles."  
  
As responses came, a frantic cry of " _I can't shake him!_ " came over the line. The nearby explosion that caught the edge of Laurent's sight told him the terrible news that one of his fighters had just been lost.  
  
" _They're accelerating toward the_ Aurora!" another voice called out.  
  
"Bravo, Delta, do what you have to! Stop them!" Laurent commanded. It was all he had time to say while dodging incoming fire from another of the Hatchets.  
  
  
  
  
"Their fighters' deflectors are stronger than normal," Julia informed Robert as they continued to close the distance. "Our fighters are having a hard time trying to shoot them down."  
  
"Bring our light batteries to bear as we enter range, but the priority remains the missile." Robert reopened his channel to Zack. "Zack, if you can help our fighters while engaging the missile, go ahead, but that missile has to remain our prime target."  
  
" _Roger that_."  
  
"It looks like two of the enemy fighters have made it through our squadrons," Julia said. "Fox and Echo squadrons are still preparing to launch. Charlie's fighters were down for a standard maintenance cycle and the flight deck reports they won't be ready to sortie for at least another five to ten minutes."  
  
"I think we underestimated the possibility for trouble," Robert lamented.  
  
"Enemy fighters are firing missiles."  
  
The holo-viewscreen showed the two Draconian craft firing their anti-ship missiles. The automated particle interceptors built into the _Aurora_ 's hull opened up, their white pulses seeking out the incoming missiles. One missile took repeated hits that were clearly absorbed by a short-lived shield system. Angel shot it with one of her lighter phaser arrays just before it made impact, destroying it. A second missile was clipped by the same shot and was blown wildly off-course by the damage.  
  
The other missiles, however, did make impact.  
  
The _Aurora_ rocked violently from the blasts that were produced. "What the…?" Robert stopped himself from using any four letter words to finish the sentence. "Jarod?!"  
  
"Shields are down to seventy percent effectiveness," Jarod said. "And Primary Generator 2 has suffering buckling damage from reaction stress."  
  
"Just what are they packing those missiles with?" Julia asked.  
  
"Going by the emissions given off by the initiations… I think it's de-stabilized naqia," Cat replied. "Like the stuff we used to blow up the _Kelley_ when we stopped the Daleks."  
  
Jarod whistled. "That's insane. I wouldn't want to be the pilot carrying those things… more fighters coming in!"  
  
"I've got a clear shot on the missile!" Angel announced. "Firing!"  
  
The _Aurora_ 's forward weapons blazed to life. Amber and sapphire pulses from the pulse phaser and pulse plasma cannon emplacements raced across the void and crashed into the blue forcefield that quickly formed around the missile. "The missile's deflectors are down to only ninety-five percent," Jarod said. "They've got high-caliber shields in place."  
  
"The Draconians' technology is a lot stronger than reports indicated," Robert noted irritably. Alliance Intelligence would be getting hell for this screwup. "Maintain fire, we need to take that missile down."  
  
"Energy spike in the propulsion systems," Cat said. "The missile is picking up acceleration."  
  
"Keep us on them Locarno."  
  
"Another incoming missile salvo!" Caterina shouted.  
  
The ship was nearly complete in its turn when the next missile impact hit. "Shields down to sixty-two percent. Bleedthrough damage to Decks 20 and 21, K section," Jarod reported.  
  
"Can we do anything with the shields to ride these weapons out more?" Julia asked.  
  
"I'll do what I can," was all he could say.  
  
As they spoke Angel kept up her shots on the missile, which continued to absorb the fire.  
  
  
  
  
The same was noticed by Zack on the _Koenig_ as the attack ship continued to track the missile. Her pulse phaser cannons opened up on the rear engine assembly with minimal effect. He could hear the frustration in Lt. April Sherlily's voice as her fire continued to prove so ineffective. "These shields are stronger than anything that size should have," she protested.  
  
"No crew, no support space, more space for shields and power generation," Lt. Magda Navaez pointed out. "Enemy missiles inbound."  
  
"Ap, shake them!"  
  
Under the control of Lt. Creighton Apley, Zack's XO, the _Koenig_ began to dodge and weave from the anti-ship missiles locked onto her. Her dorsal phaser stabbed out and shot one to pieces. Just as the phaser targeted the second, it hit. The entire ship rocked violently. "Report!" Zack shouted.  
  
"Shields down to seventy-four percent," Magda replied. "Superficial damage to the armor plating. All systems still functioning."  
  
"Bringing us back on attack run," Apley added, as the _Koenig_ again turned toward the missile now accelerating toward Earth.  
  
  
  
  
Another of the fighter-launched missiles from the Draconian fighters struck the _Aurora_ 's faltering shields. "Shields down to thirty-five percent. Primary 4 is offline from an overload, secondary shields coming online."  
  
While Jarod informed them of the result of the latest hit, Robert and Julia were both watching Angel pouring fire into the missile as it drew closer and closer to Earth. "Fox and Echo are ready to launch," Julia said. "I've had them re-armed with solar torpedoes, they'll go after the missile."  
  
"How's Laurent doing?"  
  
Julia shook her head. "Not too well. He's lost seven fighters already and the other side's only lost three. We're getting transponders on at least five escape pods." The tactical map showed the current battle. The missile was heading toward Earth with increasing speed, the _Aurora_ and _Koenig_ were following it and pumping fire into its thick shields, and behind them the Hatchet fighters were in hot pursuit, weaving around with the _Aurora_ 's Mongoose fighters.  
  
"The missile's shields are still at seventy-five percent," Jarod said. "And at its increasing rate of acceleration, I'm not sure we can hit it before it strikes Earth."  
  
"There's no telling what's aboard that weapon, we can't let it reach Earth," insisted Robert, who was already starting to consider that their only hope of stopping the missile might be to plow his ship right into it.  
  
It was, needless to say, not a choice he was eager to make.  
  
  
  
  
Laurent watched his last missile streak through space and strike one of the Draconian fighters. His phasers were already ablaze, pouring fire into its flickering blue shields. More phaser fire came from an alternate angle, fifty degrees up and to the right of Laurent. Lieutenant Skydancer, he suspected, as the firing was more tight than Jeb Kerman's usual. Either way, the convergence was enough to overload the enemy fighter's shields. Flames broke out from the rear briefly before it blew up.  
  
Skydancer blew past him with a Hatchet fighter on her rear. Laurent engaged it with his weapons. "Where's Alpha 4?" he asked.  
  
" _Damaged, I told him to RTB_ ," said Skydancer. " _This one's good, I'm having trouble shaking him_."  
  
"I'm on him. Keep going, Alpha 3. Alpha 2, can you join me on this?"  
  
" _I'm on you, Alpha 1_ ," his Kerbal wingman answered in his accented, warbly voice.  
  
The same results were nearly repeated as Laurent's prior engagement, although this time the Hatchet broke away quickly enough that it only had an engine blown off, leaving it to careen wildly away from the fight.  
  
Satisfied that it was a partial kill, Laurent was looking for another engagement when his warning lights went off. He twisted and jinked to avoid the incoming energy fire. The Hatchets were surprisingly agile for their size and this one's angle of attack gave the pilot a great initial advantage. Until Laurent got out of the Hatchet's engagement zone on its angle, he was going to take fire. And take hits, as his systems showed.  
  
"Deflectors down to thirty," Sentana informed him. "I'm trying to shore them up with auxiliary reserves." He didn't have to add that another barrage or two like that would probably finish the fighter off.  
  
Laurent had little time to consider this consequence, as he was busy trying to prevent it. He threw the Mongoose into a strong turn and fired thrusters to shift the fighter's orientation, barely evading the shots. In his head he could imagine the space he had available, which maneuvers might work and which would expose him to fire…  
  
And then Sentana shouted, "New contacts!"  
  
There was that brief moment of uncertainty, of fear, of wondering if more of these tough heavy fighters were about to join the battle.  
  
A voice crackled over the line. " _This is Colonel Deering of the 69th Earth Defense Squadron to_ Aurora _fighters. We're engaging_."  
  
The Thunderfighter heavy fighters came in at full burn on their engines. They were sleek fighters for their size, orientated around twin engine booms with canard wings for atmospheric flight near the rear. They lacked the exotic effects of nuclear-disruption technology like phasers, but what they lacked was made up for with the power behind their weapons. The lead fighter, under Wilma Deering's expert command, opened up on the fighter tracking Laurent. A second fighter came in and added its fire; with both shooting the Draconian's shields failed swiftly and the fighter was blown apart. " _Is it just me, or are these things thicker-skinned than usual?_ " Buck inquired.  
  
"They are using heavy deflectors of some kind," Laurent replied. "We have been combining fire to overwhelm them."  
  
" _Good idea, Commander._ "  
  
The reinforcements to the battle didn't change the Hatchet pilots' determination to break through and lob their missiles into the _Aurora_. Laurent linked back up with Kerman and noticed the performance of the Earth Defense Directorate fighters; they were having better luck blasting through the Hatchets' new deflectors with the heavier volume of fire from their main laser emplacements, but the Hatchets were doing their best to evade that fire and the Thunderfighters had a similar maneuverability profile, making it easy for Hatchets to escape them if their pilots caught on quickly enough.  
  
"Colonel Deering, this is Commander Laurent," he said into the comms. "My fighters will maneuver them into position for you."  
  
" _The assistance is appreciated, Commander_."  
  
"All fighters, focus on driving the enemy into the Earth fighters' line of fire. And keep them off of their backs." His order was answered by a number of " _Yes sir_ "s. Laurent worked himself to do the same. He found a Hatchet fighter slipping up behind Colonel Deering and engaged it at the same time Buck's Thunderfighter did. The phaser and laser fire from different angles overwhelmed the enemy fighter's shields and turned it into a blinding white fireball.  
  
This cleared Deering for her own attack on a Hatchet. The lasers of her Thunderfighter pummelled the enemy craft relentlessly. Every maneuver it tried was matched and countered. Just as Laurent started to get a bead on it, the Hatchet fighter exploded. "Excellent shooting, Colonel."  
  
" _Thank you, Commander_."  
  
They both got back to work as the Draconian fighters' numbers continued to dwindle.  
  
  
  
  
The _Aurora_ 's battering was over, or so it seemed to Robert, with the Earth fighters helping to keep the remaining Draconians with missiles fully occupied. Now all he had to worry about was the missile streaking directly toward Earth.  
  
Which was a big enough worry, since it was just minutes from impact.  
  
"Any progress on their shields?" he asked, while on the screen the fighters of Echo and Fox Squadrons fired away with more solar torpedoes. It felt like he had seen Nazi dreadnoughts succumb to the pummelling that the missile was taking.  
  
"They're down to twenty-five percent. But at the rate we're going, it won't be enough." Jarod shook his head. "I'm reading heavy armor plating below the shields. Even if we finish degrading the shields, we'll never blow it apart before it's in the atmosphere."  
  
"And what's it carrying?"  
  
"Destabilized Naqia," Caterina answered. "The blast will be horrific. It will inflict planetary-scale devastation."  
  
Robert's fists clenched. "What if we ram it?"  
  
"It could knock it off course," Jarod said. "But a hard enough impact will set off the destabilized naqia within. There won't be much left of the _Aurora_ afterward."  
  
"But the Earth will survive." Robert drew in a breath and exchanged a look with Julia. She knew what he was planning and knew it appeared to be the only choice.  
  
A solution flashed to mind just before she could agree with his plan. "Jarod, what if we tractor it off-course?"  
  
"It's close enough to Earth that its delta-v will carry it a far distance before it can come back around. At least, with the propulsion technology I'm showing."  
  
"Then let's try that first," she said, looking to Robert. Her green eyes flickered with confidence.  
  
Robert nodded in agreement. "Make it work, Jarod."  
  
"I'm charging up the main tractor beams now." Jarod tapped a number of keys on his board. "Get us in close, Nick. We're going to need both ventral tractors to make this work."  
  
Locarno responded by accelerating the ship further, pushing the engines to overtake the rapid missile.  
  
For his part, Robert opened a channel to Engineering with the control on his chair. "Mister Scott, we're going to need full power to the engines and tractor beams to stop this missile."  
  
" _Ye'll have everythin' we can give ye, Cap'n. Tell Mister Jarod t' trim th' graviton wavelengths, it'll give ye a tighter, stronger tractor beam, shud be enough t' stop th' bloody thing._ "  
  
Jarod smiled warmly and answered, "Thanks, Mister Scott. A wonderful suggestion."  
  
"I'm sending you a calculated flight path to get clear of Earth, Nick," Caterina called out.  
  
"Receiving it."  
  
A moment after he said that, Jarod triggered the tractor beams. Two thin ribbons of blue light suddenly linked the _Aurora_ to the missile. The _Aurora_ shuddered and strained in pulling the deadly craft off its cataclysmic course to Earth. Bit by bit, it was clearly working. The question was if it would work enough.  
  
Caterina was watching her monitor like a hawk. "We've diverted it off course by one percent. One point three. One point five."  
  
"Is that enough?" Julia asked.  
  
"It depends on time to impact," she answered. "But if we don't get it up to twenty-five percent soon, we'll never deflect it. Three percent. Three point two."  
  
" _Ye've got maybe two minutes left_ ," Scotty warned. " _We're redlinin' th' impulse drives somethin' fierce._ "  
  
"I don't think we'll manage it in two minutes," Locarno said.  
  
"Koenig _to_ Aurora," said Zack's voice, now coming over the speaker. " _We're moving in to help_."  
  
The _Koenig_ flew up on the other side of the missile and orientated herself to present her main tractor beam. Once she finished the maneuver a third thin ribbon of blue light connected the Draconian craft to the two Alliance ships. Working together they continued to push the missile off-target.  
  
"Fifteen percent… fifteen point five… sixteen point five… _we're doing it!_ ' Cat's voice was full of energy, nervous and exhilarated at the same time.  
  
On the viewscreen they could all see the Earth looming ever larger. North America was starting to shift to one side of the screen.  
  
"Twenty-three…. twenty-three point nine… _Twenty-five!_ "  
  
The missile was turned away enough that it dragged the two ships beyond Earth with it.  
  
"I'm picking up a fluctuation in the warhead! I think the tractor pressure is affecting the naqia inside! We need to get distance, _now_."  
  
"Break off! Break off!"  
  
At Robert's command the tractor beams shut down and the _Aurora_ pulled away from the missile. The _Koenig_ did likewise. The missile flew on, accelerated to such an extent that it would take a complicated maneuver to put it back on course for Earth.  
  
It never got that chance. The delicate payload it was carrying had been disturbed too greatly. Resonating with energy, there were no mechanisms to stop the destabilized naqia within from exploding with the massive energy it contained within. The missile was instantly vaporized.  
  
The _Aurora_ shields shuddered slightly. "No damage from the blast," Jarod said. "But I'm reading faults in all main and secondary impulse drives."  
  
" _Aye. I'll be needin' tae take 'em offline an' put work crews on 'em for a day or so, otherwise we'll be sittin' ducks,_ " said Scotty.  
  
"You're free to do that as soon as this fight is over and we safely make orbit. Bridge out." Robert checked the tactical map. The Draconian fighters were down to just ten, and that number was declining more and more quickly as the inverse square law went to work. "Recall Fox and Echo for re-arming," he said. "And have Charlie launch. I doubt they'll get there in time to fight, but I want a CAP out now at all times, at least until we find out if we're facing more attacks."  
  
He was answered by nods and "Aye"s.  
  
"Signal Doctor Huer and Emissary Ledosh," he said to Julia. "I'd like them to beam up so we can go over this attack."  
  
"I'm sending Ledosh a signal now," she answered. "And I already ordered out the S&R runabouts and shuttles. And I detailed the _Irrawaddy_ to beam up whatever's left of that missile for study."  
  
"A good idea." And as the _Aurora_ moved into orbit and the battle came to an end, Robert let himself wonder just what was going on. The Draconians were an aggressive and powerful empire, yes, but technologically, they weren't supposed to be this well-off. _What's going on? And who was responsible for this? Some rogue Draconian officer or is it their Emperor?_  
  
  
  
In a star system not too far from Earth, an angry female voice cried out, "Damn them! How did they survive?!"  
  
The reserved man standing next to her considered his answer carefully. "We may have underestimated Earth's new friends."  
  
At that the woman's look soured. Princess Ardala of the Draconian Empire was used to getting her own way, but yet again the defenders of Earth had thwarted her. She took solace in the idea that the failures were from others. "It shouldn't have mattered. Clearly our agents were inept. And now one of the weapons has been expended uselessly. My father will be incensed. He will blame me." She looked toward her right hand man. Kane was a man of tanned complexion and reserved cunning, which she found useful when she didn't find it utterly annoying. "How long until the other weapons can be fired?"  
  
Kane made the mental calculation of his answer. He recognized that look of imperial impatience crossing the otherwise-lovely Ardala's face. "Assembly is taking some time," he confessed. "There is only so much of the special material, after all, and it is needed for powering the new deflectors as well as being used for the warheads. It will be at least a day before we can launch another wave."  
  
"We must speed things up." Ardala's scowl was joined by a look of consideration. "Surely you can get that thing to be more cooperative?"  
  
"It will not."  
  
"Your torturers cannot break it?"  
  
"They have not yet. They dare not use the furthest degree, it would kill the creature in its fragile state."  
  
"Very well. See what can be gleaned from the data we recovered instead. We cannot let this happen again. The next time we launch these weapons, the Earth must be destroyed." Ardala smiled ferociously. "And then all of known space will bow to the Draconian Empire."  
  
_And I will be remembered as the one who brought it about_ , was her concluding thought on that outcome.  
  
  
  
  
Conference Room 1 was the site of the assembly chosen to examine the Draconian attack. In attendance were the command officers of the _Aurora_ and _Koenig_ joined by Ledosh, Dr. Huer, Dr. Theopolis (With Twiki carrying him as usual), and Wilma and Buck. Leo was conspicuously absent, still tending to Director Sung and to other casualties in the battle. All of the attendees had seats and Jarod took the seat to direct the briefing while Huer and Robert were at the heads of the adjacent tables. "I've managed to get some atomic analysis scans of the missile debris, to give us an idea of where the Draconian technology comes from." Jarod frowned. "And the answer isn't good."  
  
"So what is it?" Buck asked.  
  
"Well, the remaining energy pattern is consistent with what destabilized naqia would give off," Jarod said. "But I would say the most important piece evidence is from the fighter debris. We managed to recover part of the deflector generators they were using on the Hatchet fighters."  
  
"Nice," said Buck. "Whatever it is, it took a lot of time to punch through."  
  
"And that's not surprising, given what we've found." Jarod's look was somber. "The deflectors are Darglan technology."  
  
Mouths opened in mute disbelief. Everyone stared.  
  
And then, after checking the scan results Jarod displayed, both Scotty and Barnes nodded. "Well, I'll be," said Scotty. "It's Darglan alright. Looks t' be a more advanced version of th' deflectors we installed on th' _Aurora_."  
  
"So the Draconians have frakking _Darglan technology?_ " Barnes shook his head. "Because… holy crap, man, that makes them really frakking dangerous."  
  
"That it does," Ledosh agreed, his calm tone a contrast to the disturbed expression that came to his face. "To think that such a treacherous people are abusing the legacy of the Darglan people…"  
  
Of course, the weight of the finding was lost on much of the other side's attendees. "Who were the Darglan anyway?" asked Buck.  
  
"A species that existed thousands of years ago," replied Julia. "They built the interuniversal jump drives we use. They built a lot of advanced technology."  
  
"It's gonna frakking suck if these bastards got their hands on IU drives," Barnes complained.  
  
"The only way to know for sure is to find out more about this attack," Buck said. "And where it was launched from. Doctor Huer, any ideas?"  
  
"Before I came up I consulted with our intelligence people," Huer said. "There have been reports about intense Draconian interest in the Pleiades Sector. They've recently annexed several systems in that area."  
  
"Did anyone protest this?" Robert asked.  
  
"None. That region of space is open, and has little value."  
  
"Pleiades?" Caterina looked up. "If it's the Pleiades Cluster, then that actually makes sense."  
  
"What makes sense, Cat?" Robert asked.  
  
She operated the control at her seat to bring up a sensor reading. "I got this from the remnant debris of the missile. There wasn't much left, but there was enough for me to determine that it contains a rare isotope of Hafnium, Hafnium-178m2, probably in the missile's batteries."  
  
"I am aware of Hafnium-178m2," said Dr. Theopolis, the lights of his disc flashing as he spoke. "It occurs naturally in only one solar system. Pleiades-24."  
  
"Just like in every other universe." Caterina smiled. "I bet that the missile was manufactured in that system, or somewhere near it."  
  
"What do you want to bet the Draconians are building these things wherever they found this alien technology?" Buck asked rhetorically.  
  
"Using local resources where possible would keep their project from becoming more visible," Jarod agreed. "So this is the perfect place to begin a search."  
  
"There's a stargate that leads to Pleiades," Wilma noted. "We can make it in two jumps. But it could take weeks to search with conventional drives, if the Draconians are in another one of the systems."  
  
"The _Koenig_ 's warp drive will make it easier to cover distance," Zack said. "We can go out there and look around. Under cloak. And I bet if they've got anything Darglan, it's got a DT field."  
  
"A DT field?" asked Huer.  
  
"A dimensionally transcendental field, Doctor," Caterina said. "It makes things bigger on the inside than they are on the outside."  
  
"That sounds like an extraordinary technology," Theopolis remarked, with as much excitement as his robotic voice could perhaps muster. "I look forward to learning more of these Darglan."  
  
"I'll be glad to open our database to you, Doctor," Caterina said, smiling at the AI. "With permission of course."  
  
"So what happens when you find this place?" Buck asked.  
  
"We put a few solar torpedoes into it, I suppose," Zack answered. "Unless we want to try to insert a team to see what's there?"  
  
Buck nodded. "That's exactly my thought. It might tell us more about what the Draconians are planning."  
  
"Are you up to it, Buck?" asked Huer.  
  
That prompted a grin from the pilot. "As always, Doc. You know me."  
  
"Hopefully you will not do anything reckless," stated Theopolis, "although past experience indicates a high probability of my hope failing."  
  
"I'm not sending Captain Rogers in alone," Robert stated. He looked to where Commander Kane was sitting quietly. "Take a squad that you think works for this op, Commander, and have the _Bastilone_ ready."  
  
"The _Bastilone_?" Buck asked.  
  
Kane nodded. "She's our special ops assault runabout, comes equipped with a cloaking device. The _Koenig_ can get us close and the _Bastilone_ will insert us."  
  
Meridina nodded. "I shall accompany you."  
  
"And we'll bring Lieutenant Lucero, if she's up to it," Kane said. "Which I'm sure she'll be."  
  
"As long as our force isn't too big, otherwise we'll never sneak in," Buck warned. He was still grinning slightly. "Although I'll enjoy the backup."  
  
"Should I go too?" Caterina asked. "If you're handling Darglan technology, I mean."  
  
"I've got another project for you, Cat, with Jarod." Robert looked at them. "Just in case more of these missiles come, I want a countermeasure that doesn't require us to burn out our impulse drives."  
  
"Right." Jarod nodded.  
  
"And since the _Aurora_ is bound to orbit for another…" Robert looked to Scott next.  
  
"Give me another thirty hours, sir," Scotty answered. "My crews are doin' th' best they can, but a lot o' our components need replacin'."  
  
Robert nodded. "Then we're not going anywhere until then. Once we have a countermeasure idea in place, we can join the _Koenig_ in Pleiades for the search or to hit their base."  
  
"Might I join you in your efforts to counter the new Draconian missiles?" Theopolis requested. "I believe I will be able to assist you."  
  
"We'll be glad to have you," was Robert's answer.  
  
"We'll see you in Science Lab 2, then," Caterina said, still grinning. Working with Data had been great, and she was looking forward to working with another AI.  
  
"Biddi-biddi-biddi, at least she's a cutie," said Twiki.  
  
"Twiki, that is quite unacceptable. Lieutenant Delgado is a scientist and should be treated like one."  
  
"You're no fun."  
  
Wilma cracked a slight grin and looked to Buck. "You have taught him too well," she said, prompting an innocent look from Buck. After that remark she turned her head toward where Robert and Huer were sitting. "I'll keep my pilots on standby. We should have the entire squadron back to full readiness by tomorrow evening."  
  
"I can coordinate with Commander Laurent and Colonel Deering," offered Julia, glancing Robert's way.  
  
"That works for me," he replied. Robert, in turn, met Huer's look. "And I'll ask Admiral Maran for more ships. I'm just not sure how many we'll get or when. The fleet's heavily engaged in operations against the Nazis right now."  
  
"I shall consult with President Morgan on the issue," Ledosh stated. "And it is possible I may be able to persuade the Gersallian government to provide assistance independent of Alliance command."  
  
"I understand," Huer said. "I'll call in what favors I can. There are worlds near to us, trading partners and allies, also being threatened by the Draconians. We can get help."  
  
"It looks like we've got everything planned out. Is there anything else, Doctor Huer?"  
  
The older man shook his head. "I'll issue my report to the other directors and to the Computer Council on what our reaction will be, and begin mobilizing our remaining defense squadrons."  
  
"Then our meeting's over." Robert stood, signaling the others to do the same.  
  
Zack turned to Buck and nodded. "You've got anything you want to bring with you?"  
  
"A few things," Buck said.  
  
"My people should be ready to launch in a couple of hours, I'll be waiting for you at the airlock."  
  
While they left, Huer approached Robert, Ledosh standing beside him. "Do you know anything about Director Sung's condition, Captain?"  
  
"Before the meeting Leo said he was prepping her for surgery to repair damaged organs," Robert replied. "I can take you to the medbay to see if she's out of the OR."  
  
"Thank you, Captain, but I wouldn't wish to be a burden when you have so much to do already."  
  
"I shall escort you then, Doctor," Ledosh said quietly. "I will use the time in the medbay to compose my messages to President Morgan and Director Anjila. And then we can discuss matters as they are needed."  
  
"Thank you then, Emissary."  
  
Ledosh led Huer off. Robert took a moment to let everyone get out before he left as well, his message to Admiral Maran already forming in his mind.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Meridina found Lucy in the Lookout enjoying a late lunch. Like Meridina she hadn't gone planetside for the ill-fated reception. Meridina had volunteered to stay while Lucy, never one for diplomatic receptions, had turned down Julia's offer to list her as a senior officer for the reception invitations.  
  
Now, the thought came to her that if she had gone down, she might have seen the attack coming, and maybe fewer people would have gotten hurt.  
  
There was little time for guilt, however. Lucy was finishing a much-desired meal and was already thinking about the repairs she would need to do when Meridina stepped up. "Lucy," she said. "I am afraid I recommended you for a dangerous mission."  
  
"Well, as long as you didn't volunteer me," Lucy answered, grinning. "I'm up for it, as you know."  
  
"Indeed." Meridina nodded. "And now that you have shared your insights with _Mastrash_ Ledosh, the knowledge will pass on as you requested."  
  
"If it were any _Mastrash_ other than Ledosh, I'd be worried about the plans being shared with other groups," Lucy said before digging her spoon into a mostly-consumed container of sausage stew. "But I know he will. So, how are we going to be facing death now?"  
  
Meridina felt the calm confidence and humor in Lucy and smiled with satisfaction. She could never stop appreciating Lucy's bravery. "The Draconians of this universe have Darglan technology."  
  
The confident grin vanished from Lucy's expression. "Crap," she muttered. "That's bad."  
  
"It is. We will join a team of Commander Kane's Marines and Captain Rogers in attempting to infiltrate whatever installation we discover."  
  
"Right." Lucy thought deeply for a moment. "I wonder how the Draconians accessed a Darglan database or Facility. Their access panels don't recognize just anyone."  
  
"Indeed. Perhaps we shall find out."  
  
"So this Captain Rogers guy… is he an observer or something?' Lucy asked. "Someone Earth's sending along to see how we do it?"  
  
"Actually, he volunteered to perform the mission alone," Meridina said. "Which is brave and reckless."  
  
" _Really_ reckless." Lucy nodded in agreement. "Anyway, I'd better get my stuff together. We're riding on the _Koenig_ , right?"  
  
"We are."  
  
"Right. I guess I'd better get my pack for the _Koenig_."  
  
Meridina's look was curious. Lucy, in turn was bemused by feeling that curiosity. "A pack for the _Koenig_?"  
  
"Clothes. Hygiene essentials. Snacks. The replicators on that ship are crap, I don't care what people say about that Quarian girl fixing them. And some reading material in case I'm too keyed up on caffeine to meditate and need something to do." Lucy sighed. "And maybe I'll take a shower since only Zack has a shower on that ship, dammit."  
  
"I'm quite certain he will let you use it if you ask," Meridina said.  
  
She was quite surprised when Lucy broke out laughing at that suggestion. "I am _not_ getting into Zachary Carrey's shower," Lucy announced. "I don't care how faithful he is to Clara Davis. Not. Happening."  
  
Meridina's response was a confused look, followed by a bemused one as she understood the context.  
  
  
  
  
Wilma was still on the _Aurora_ when Buck came back, now wearing his favored brown jacket over a dark blue shirt and black trousers. His duffel bag was on his shoulder. Julia had provided Wilma a digital reader with a map of the ship and appropriate directions so she could take Buck to the airlock for the _Koenig_ 's dock. "It's too bad you're not going," Buck said to Wilma. "It's going to feel odd, not having you watching my back."  
  
"You seem to have done well enough for yourself before you met me," Wilma pointed out.  
  
"Well, yeah, but…" Buck stopped speaking as he considered what to say, and how Wilma might react. "...I've gotten used to being watching my six, in and out of the cockpit."  
  
A soft smiled came to Wilma's face at that admission. "And I've gotten used to keeping you out of trouble. Or trying to, anyway." They stepped into a turbolift. Wilma had learned about the voice control and asked for the appropriate deck. The lift began moving. "They're good people," she said. "This crew. You're in good hands."  
  
"That's what I was thinking."  
  
When they got to the airlock Zack was waiting with a crewman, a well-built young Dorei man. "Crewman Hagao will take your bag to the guest quarters we've set aside for you," he said. "I'll take you on a tour once we're away, if you'd like."  
  
Buck nodded and handed the duffel bag to the blue-skinned, teal-spotted alien, who walked back through the airlock.  
  
Meridina and Lucy arrived behind Wilma, wearing their blue robes and purple combat armor. Each carried a bag as well, although Meridina's was smaller. "You're not moving in," Zack said to Lucy.  
  
"She desires to be quite prepared," Meridina explained. "And she does not want to use your shower."  
  
Buck cracked a grin at that. Zack gave Lucy his best "I'm offended" look, which Lucy answered by sticking her tongue out before heading on through the airlock. "Those aren't your standard uniforms, are they?" Buck asked Zack.  
  
"No, they're in special field armor for the whole 'move things with the power of my life force' thing," Zack answered.  
  
"Ah."  
  
When they looked back, Julia was now standing beside Wilma. "Don't take stupid risks and find out everything you can," Julia said.  
  
Buck looked to Zack. "Is she talking to me or…?"  
  
"She's being a mother hen, _as usual_ ," Zack announced, causing Julia to cross her arms. "I'm already feeling sorry for her crew on the _Enterprise_. Now let's get going…"  
  
They walked through the airlock and into the _Koenig_. Buck noted how much more restricted the space was in the smaller ship. "It's not quite as bad as a submarine," he said, "but this feels like an entirely different design style from the _Aurora_."  
  
"The _Koenig_ isn't made for multi-mission long-distance cruises," Zack said. "Back in the day we built her to be a gut-puncher and not much else. She's quick, she's agile, she packs a wallop and is a lot harder to kill than she looks, but she's not built for extended missions. That's why we're hooked up to the _Aurora_."  
  
"So she's a set of guns strapped to an engine?"  
  
"Pretty much." Zack led Buck into a turbolift and said "Deck 1". the lift carried them down and up the ship until they stepped out onto what passed for Deck 1, which was the lift door, an escape pod hatch, Zack's ready office, and beyond these, the bridge itself.  
  
Meridina and Lucy were already at the rear of the bridge, standing quietly. As Zack approached his command chair Magda was the first to begin speaking. "Sir, all crew have reported in. Engineering is bringing all reactors online."  
  
"Good." Zack stopped at his chair and looked to Buck. "Captain Rogers, this is my remaining command crew. Lieutenant Creighton Apley, my first officer, is at the helm. Lieutenant Magda Navaez, operations officer, and Lieutenant April Sherlily, tactical officer. Doctor Roliri Opani is down in the infirmary as usual. Everyone, this is Captain Buck Rogers of Earth, he's joining us for this mission."  
  
"You can call me Buck," he said to everyone. "There's no need for formalities."  
  
"If you wish," Magda said. "Although the name is bizarre. Did your parents think highly of deer?"  
  
Zack took his seat. "Alright, we have an evil empire and a secret base full of Darglan technology we have to take away from them. Let's get going."  
  
"Yes sir," said Apley. "Releasing umbilicals and docking clamps. The airlock is secure…"  
  
Zack sat back and let his crew get to work on the launch.  
  
  
  
  
Julia showed Wilma to the observation deck beside the airlock. They watched the doors to space slide open and the _Koenig_ back out of its protected dock. As the doors began to close the _Koenig_ was already turning in place. They had one last look at it accelerating away from the ship before the dock doors were again shut.  
  
Wilma glanced toward Julia. "You're worried for them?"  
  
Julia sighed and nodded. "Every time," she said. "Zack's one of my oldest friends in the world, as much as I want to smack him sometimes. And I'm always afraid that one day, he won't come back."  
  
"I know the feeling." Wilma nodded. "Over the years, many of my friends in the Defense Directorate's pilot corps have come under my command." Her light blue eyes took on a distant look, as if imagining faces… faces she would never see again. "I don't want to count the number of times we flew back from a mission and they weren't there."  
  
"And it was worse being their commander, wasn't it?" Julia asked.  
  
Wilma nodded quietly. "It makes me responsible." After a moment she asked, "Do you have an officer lounge?"  
  
"We have an senior officers-only wardroom up by the bridge, the Conference Lounge," Julia answered. "But in a mood like ours, I think Hargert's dinner is just the thing we need."  
  
"Hargert?" asked Wilma. "And that is…?"  
  
Julia smiled. "The best damn cook in the Multiverse. This way, Colonel." She started walking toward the exit.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aurora crew must protect an Earth seeking Alliance membership from a powerful empire.

Space split open and the _ASV Koenig_ emerged, her lines and squat size giving her the look of a predator. This was enhanced as she shimmered out of sight like a shark sliding beneath the waves to hunt prey.  
  
"We're secure from the jump," said Apley.  
  
"Cloaking device engaged," added Magda. "The cloak is operating properly."  
  
Zack nodded and winced. "Those jumps, do they make you feel nauseous like that, Buck?"  
  
Buck nodded from his spare chair to the side, at an auxiliary station. "Every time." A glint appeared in his eye. "But don't tell Colonel Deering."  
  
"Our lips are sealed," Zack promised on behalf of his crew, confident they'd keep the secret. "Magda, what do we have on our scans?"  
  
"Absolutely no sign of a DT field effect," Magda replied. "And I'm running all of Lieutenant Delgado's search parameters."  
  
"Huh. Well, keep scanning. Ap, do you have a course for Pleiades-24?"  
  
"Already laid in," Apley replied. "Warp power at your word."  
  
"It's given."  
  
After the flash of energy and light on the screen confirmed they had completed the jump to warp, Zack looked to Buck. "Want that tour?" he asked.  
  
"Sure."  
  
Zack stood up. "Ap, you have the bridge. Let me know when we get to Pleiades-24."  
  
  
  
  
Julia was surprised to see Wilma Deering eye her plates cautiously as they were delivered by Albert. The young German man noticed it as well. "Is something wrong, Colonel?" he asked.  
  
"Oh… nothing," she said, and forced a small smile. "Nothing at all."  
  
"If you need anything, let me know." Albert nodded and walked away, leaving them with plates of chili beef and cheese burritos, corn chips, mashed and diced potatoes, and oranges and avocados.  
  
"Is something wrong?" Julia asked. "You look like you already know you're not going to enjoy it."  
  
Wilma's smile remained. "Buck tries to cook these kinds of things for us."  
  
"Oh." Julia chuckled. "And I'm guessing he's not a good cook."  
  
"The taste is… special." Wilma eyed the food for another moment before transferring one of the burritos from the central plate to her empty personal one. "We normally don't eat food like this, actually."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Much of Earth's agricultural land was left irradiated by the Third World War," she explained. "That's why we import so much of our food, and import is more efficient with processed food discs. Buck often complains about them not being real food."  
  
"Hopefully your Earth's choices will grow now that you're involved with the Alliance," Julia said. As she considered what Wilma had just said about her Earth, Julia could imagine the nightmarish image of all of the golden fields of grain she'd grown up with withering and dying off. "And maybe we can fix your Earth. I hear they're already making progress repairing the Earth in N2S7, and L4R2's Earth is going to be resettled soon."  
  
"So our Earth wasn't the only one to get ruined."  
  
"They can't even _find_ Earth of S0T5 anymore," Julia said. "It's been gone for three thousand years. Your Earth's made it through pretty well compared to the others."  
  
It was clear Wilma was not going to be heartened by that alone. Julia wondered how she might have turned out living in such a world, an Earth trying to crawl its way back from the edge of extinction. "I've read that there are Humans on a number of other worlds not connected to Earth."  
  
"Yes. The histories are vague," Wilma answered. "So many records were lost during the war and all of the ships fleeing. It's hard to believe Humanity was able to spread so far after the war."  
  
"Did you have help?" Julia asked. "Maybe another species took pity on you?"  
  
"None that we know of." Wilma tried another corn chip for a moment. "I suppose it's possible in the years after the war. What we have now is owed to the Computer Council, the original artificial intelligence computers that directed the rebuilding of Earth."  
  
To that, Julia nodded before taking a bite and enjoying the taste, although she was quick to ease the spiciness of the food with a drink from her glass of fruit juice. "Do you ever regret your position? Climbing to command?"  
  
Wilma shook her head. "No. Well, not usually. Once and awhile I wonder if I might be happier if I'd done something else. But this is where I want to be. It's where I can meet the challenges that I want in life, and protect the things I care about. The people I care about."  
  
Julia nodded quietly. "I know the sentiment."  
  
Wilma, who was nibbling at a corn chip but still avoiding the burrito, swallowed and said, "I heard Commander Carrey mention something about an 'Enterprise'?"  
  
Julia drew in a breath and raised her eyes for a moment, as if seeking strength from above. "He's trying to be helpful." She took another bite of the burrito and wanted to moan at how good it tasted, at the texture of the burrito or the taste of the filling. It was almost uncomfortably hot, but Hargert had been very exact in the balance of spices, making the burrito hot but manageable and, most importantly, rich in flavor. "I was offered a command earlier this year. A promotion to Captain and command of a new starship, the first in a new class of ships based off of the _Aurora_."  
  
"Congratulations," said Wilma. "When do you take command?"  
  
"At the end of the year. If I say yes. I have about a week to give my final answer." Julia took another drink.  
  
Wilma nodded. "So you're not sure if you want the post?"  
  
After a moment of quiet consideration, Julia said, "I'm divided. A part of me is leaping at it. Leaping at the chance to be the Captain of the _Starship Enterprise_. But at the same time… these are my people. This is my ship. Leaving to take over another ship, I… well, I'm worried about the others. Robert will have to find a First Officer that works with his command style, he'll need a new tactical officer because Angel, that is the older Lieutenant Delgado, would come with me… plus I'll have to put together my command crew and get used to the whole thing." As she listed the challenges, Julia felt something inside of her that was almost eager. Yes, challenges, challenges that she could take charge of.  
  
It was clear Wilma could see some of that. "Something tells me you'll do well either way," Wilma said. "You could stay here and continue to be Dale's First Officer until he's promoted. But that's not the same as taking a ship and making it yours, is it?'  
  
"No." Julia shook her head. She felt the rush recede. "No, it's not. The _Enterprise_ would be _my_ ship. _My_ crew."  
  
"I felt the same way when I took command of the 69th," Wilma said.  
  
Julia nodded in acknowledgement. It wasn't hard to imagine. Wilma Deering had that feeling to her, a confidence in command that Julia respected. She liked being around the starfighter pilot and commander.  
  
It was, to Julia, time to end this topic of conversation. She eyed the uneaten burrito Wilma had pulled onto her plate and smiled. "You wouldn't happen to be trying to avoid eating this, would you?" she asked, her tone full of humor.  
  
The response from Wilma was a bemused look. After that she took in a breath, as if to steel herself, and picked up the burrito and took a bite of it. Her eyes widened as she experienced the taste for the first time. Julia considered it a good sign when she commenced chewing and eventually swallowed. "This is… actually very good," Wilma admitted. "I wish Buck could cook like this."  
  
"I told you." Now Julia's smile widened. "Hargert is the best damn cook in the Multiverse."  
  
  
  
  
The tour of the _Koenig_ was brief, given the size of the ship. It ended in the mess hall, where they replicated a meal of basic chicken sandwiches with french fries and potato chips, plus drinks. Buck took his first bite and Zack could see a familiar uncertainty in his face. "It doesn't taste right, does it?" Zack asked.  
  
"It is a little off," Buck said. He ate another chip. "But it's better than food discs."  
  
At that Zack chuckled. "It's actually still pretty good compared to what it can be. A young Quarian girl we had on the ship several weeks ago fixed the mess replicator to the point it almost tasted real. I'll have to ask Tom about giving it another maintenance repair soon." Zack took a bite of his sandwich while Buck tried the same. When he finished swallowing, "She's a small ship, but she's mine. In a manner of speaking."  
  
"I know that feeling." Buck nodded. "Once you've flown something like this, it always stays with you."  
  
"It does."  
  
After they enjoyed their meal a little more, Buck said, "It looks like you and your friends have managed to land on your feet when it comes to leaving behind the 20th, 21st Century world."  
  
To that Zack remained quiet for a moment. "We didn't have a whole lot to go back to," he admitted. "Rob's parents were dead, Julie's, Leo's… Tom left his folks behind and never looked back. Angel and Cat lost their mother a couple of years before everything happened, I lost my mom years ago…"  
  
"Nobody to go back to, then?" asked Buck. "Your father?"  
  
An old pain shot through Zack. It appeared on his face and was evident in his brown eyes. "Dad had problems. Alcohol."  
  
Buck nodded slightly.  
  
"Eventually it got his health. Before it did, he made mistakes, and we both paid for them." Zack held a fry in his hand and considered it a moment. Old memories of happy visits to fast food restaurants, of plastic toys and salty french fries, bubbled up despite his desires to the contrary. "A… friend of mine, a close friend, talked me into going back to Earth and seeing him. I wanted him to come out here, maybe get treatment, but it was too late. He died the morning after I arrived."  
  
"I'm sorry," was all Buck could say. "And your… friend?" He'd noticed the look Zack had on bringing the friend up, and it wasn't hard to imagine what he was talking about.  
  
"She left Earth, came out here. We met again by chance." Zack's thoughts went to Clara. He wasn't sure when he'd get a long enough leave period, but when he did he intended to catch the next starliner to New Caprica. "She's a nurse on a colony of Human survivors in N2S7. We see each other when we can."  
  
"Good. I'm happy for you."  
  
There was something in the way Buck said his well-wishes that made Zack look at him more intently while he chewed, quietly, on the fry he'd been holding. Buck continued to eat quietly as well.  
  
"We're luckier than you," Zack finally said. "I mean, we don't have a lot to go back to, but at least we could."  
  
"It's nothing."  
  
Zack looked at him. Buck, noticing that Zack was looking for a reaction, responded with a smile. "I've gotten used to it," he said. "And it's not like I can complain. I wanted to be an astronaut from the moment I joined the Air Force. Now I travel between worlds and I fly a starfighter." He held up what was left of his sandwich. "And now that the Alliance has come along, maybe we'll even get proper food again. So in the end, being frozen until the end of the 25th Century worked out for me."  
  
For a moment Zack said nothing. He couldn't help but think that Buck was hiding something behind his smile. But he couldn't be sure. "It's good to hear that," Zack answered. "It's been a long day, and we'll arrive at Pleiades-24 in the early morning hours. I can show you to your quarters before I head back to the bridge."  
  
"A little sleep won't hurt," Buck agreed, still smiling.  
  
Zack nodded back, still wondering what could be beneath that friendly smile.  
  
  
  
  
The time flashed 0100 and Caterina was only now yawning. Jarod had already left for the evening, leaving her alone with Theopolis and Twiki. Working with them wasn't like working with Data, but she enjoyed it all the same.  
  
Of course, the problem wasn't so easy to deal with. The screens in Science Lab 2 showed the simulations and the news wasn't happy. Another result flashed across the main screen. Cat groaned at the result. "Another successful hit," she said.  
  
"And the casualty numbers are catastrophic," Theopolis added. "By my calculations, three of these missiles alone would do lasting damage to Earth's biosphere. Even one will devastate a large section of the globe. Billions of deaths are likely."  
  
Caterina checked the simulation parameters again. The planet-based weapons solution, already unlikely to establish, would still fail because the missiles couldn't be destroyed in time. Not with their powerful deflectors. "The tractor beam satellites might still be our best bet," she said. "If they can cause destabilized naqia warheads to detonate prematurely…"  
  
"Unfortunately, the power requirements to restrain the missiles for a long enough period to induce destabilization is not feasible. Starships will be required."  
  
"Do you have civilian ships? Merchant ships? Something we can rig up for this?"  
  
"We have very few of the ships of requisite size and power generation capability, and re-directing them to this task would have a severe effect upon food imports." Theopolis' lights blinking continued to draw Caterina's attention. Unfortunately, they also seemed to be making her even sleepier. Assuming that wasn't just general sleepiness. "I will still forward the idea to the Computer Council and determine if there are sufficient available ships to protect the planet."  
  
"I'm sure we can come up with something…" Caterina yawned yet again. "...better."  
  
"Lieutenant, might I recommend you get some rest?" Theopolis suggested. "Your thought processes will benefit from getting sleep."  
  
"What? No. No, I can just…" She yawned again. "...get coffee."  
  
The door to the lab opened. Violeta walked in and let out a sigh at seeing Caterina slouching slightly in her chair, clearly desperate to stay awake. "Commander Andreys warned me you'd do this," Violeta sighed.  
  
"Biddi-biddi-biddi, that's what I call a dye job."  
  
Violeta ignored Twiki's remark and finished walking up to Cat. She knelt down beside her and touched her on the cheek. "You need your sleep, Cat. Let's go back to your quarters."  
  
"I'm almost… if I look at the problem a bit more…" Caterina looked at her girlfriend with her hazel eyes now bleary. "Just get me some coffee?"  
  
"No. Commander Andreys and Captain Dale made it clear you needed to go to sleep tonight." Violeta stood up. "Let me take you to bed."  
  
"It is an excellent idea," said Theopolis. "Twiki and I can continue to run simulations while you rest."  
  
"But…" Nevertheless Caterina was swaying as she stood up. As a result she nearly fell into Violeta's arms. Violeta steadied her lover and gave her a slight kiss on the cheek. "Come on, Cat."  
  
Cat mumbled a protest but did not resist.  
  
  
  
  
Given the time and their ETA, Zack had ordered his command crew to bed and left the bridge in the hands of Ensign Driik and the third shift bridge crew. He'd settled into sleep well enough and dreamed of being back home, of his mother and a warm summer sky and a baseball game…  
  
He had just hit the ball low through the infield, sending it just below the out-stretched hand of the short-stop, when a tone woke him up. Zack gently raised his head from the lone pillow for his cot. A blue light was blinking above his left palm. He sighed and tapped it. "Carrey here."  
  
" _Sir, we will be arriving at Pleiades-24 in precisely three minutes_ ," chirped Ensign Driik. The young Alakin male's voice was slightly distorted and off due to the translator systems needed to convert Alakin speech into something that could sound English. " _Technical Officer Robinson is already commencing sensor scans. Do you wish me to alert the senior officers?_ "  
  
Zack yawned and rubbed at his right eye. He could still imagine the warm Kansas sun and the dust of the baseball diamond, as if his brain didn't quite want to come out of the dream yet. He forced in a breath and shook his head, as if to clear his mind with the motion. When it didn't quite work he started to rub his forehead instead. "Okay. Let me know if you find anything, but don't call up the others yet. They need their rest."  
  
" _Yes sir._ "  
  
The omnitool disengaged its interface, leaving only the small braces on his elbow and fingers that served as the physical pieces of the omnitool. Zack laid back in his cot and rested his hands over his belly, or rather over the plain gray uniform undershirt covering it. He felt himself start to nod off.  
  
He was just starting to fall asleep again when the tone went off again. His eyes opened again and he reached for the flashing light of his omnitool. "Carrey here."  
  
" _Commander, we have something on sensors_ ," Driik said. " _We're reading a power signature on the third planet of the system_."  
  
Zack sighed at that and sat up. "Alright. Alert the senior officers. I'm on my way."  
  
  
  
  
The bridge opened and Zack, now in his uniform, found that Apley had already beaten him here. "You didn't sleep in your uniform, did you Ap?" he asked as Apley vacated the command chair and relieved Driik from the helm.  
  
"No sir, I'm just a quick dresser."  
  
Zack took his chair and looked to where a young woman, fair-haired and with a slight tan, was seated at Ops. "What do we have on sensors?"  
  
"Looks like a structure in orbit over the third planet. It's only showing on the narrow band subspace sensors," she replied, her accent reflecting her Australian roots. Zack quickly recalled what he knew of her. Technical Officer Jane Robinson was an enlisted crewwoman who had completed sufficient training to man an officer's bridge station without a full officer course or commission yet. He was certain she would eventually transfer to the _Aurora_ to become a full science officer once her posting on the _Koenig_ was complete. "It looks like there's some kind of sensor dampening field present to hide the power signature from most kinds of sensors. Honestly, if we didn't have Darglan tech in our sensors, we wouldn't be seeing them either."  
  
"Take us in, Ap. Set ship condition to Blue."  
  
"Yes sir," Apley said.  
  
"Setting to Code Blue, sir," Robinson added. With a few key presses she caused blue lights to appear in the wall paneling, informing the crew of the potential for hostilities.  
  
Over the next minute both Sherlily and Magda arrived, relieving Robinson and the young man who'd been at tactical; Technical Officer Jesus Perez, Zack recalled. Everyone was in place for when the _Koenig_ dropped out of warp some distance from the planet.  
  
The planet itself was a barren, rocky world, clearly not a life-bearing planet at first glance. As they drew close Zack could make out a shape in orbit. It was a series of blocky, open structures. "A construction yard," he murmured.  
  
"There's definitely a dampening field that's hiding this location from most sensors," Magda said. "Robinson was spot on about that. I might have missed what we are seeing, it looks a lot like background subspace radiation. The kind you'd expect to see around a B1V sequence star."  
  
"So it's a perfect place to hide something, that's what you're saying," Zack said.  
  
"It is, sir." Magda started examining her sensors again. After another ten seconds passed she cried out, "Stop! All stop, now!"  
  
Apley did so, confident in Magda's judgement and Zack's likely agreement with his assessment of it. The _Koenig_ cut her velocity and came to a stop (or at least a relative one).  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Detection satellite, sir," Magda said. "Still inside the dampening field, but they didn't calibrate its systems properly or we'd have stumbled right into it."  
  
"Can they see us cloaked?"  
  
"Likely. I'm detecting signs of a gravitic grid. No sign of tachyons, though."  
  
The thought immediately occurred to Zack. "Can the _Bastilone_ slip through?"'  
  
Magda clearly had to think about it. Finally she nodded. "I think so, yes. The runabout has a very good cloaking system, and the smaller mass may not disturb the gravitic triggers."  
  
"Well then." Zack hit a key on his chair. "Carrey to Meridina."  
  
The reply was swift, enough to show she was awake. " _Yes, Commander?"_  
  
"Please get Kane, Lucy, and Captain Rogers and be ready to meet with me and Lieutenant Navaez in our conference room on Deck 2 in half an hour. I'll have breakfast ready."  
  
" _Very well, sir. Meridina out_."  
  
"Ap, you have the bridge, alert me if anything changes." Zack looked to Robinson, who had moved to an auxiliary station. "Tech Officer Robinson, resume Operations, and see if you can get us some better scans. On the down low, I don't want them to see us coming."  
  
"Yes sir," the young Australian answered.  
  
"Magda, with me please." He stood from his command chair. Driik stepped forward to reclaim the helm while Apley moved to take the chair. "I need coffee."  
  
  
  
  
Thirty minutes later Zack and Magda were with the core of the insertion team. Further sensor scans by Robinson had yet to show anything else. "It's possible that the _Bastilone_ might find more information once it's in range," Magda informed them while a holographic view of the planet and the yard structure over it hung in the air. "So far what we can see is that they are constructing spacecraft of an unknown kind."  
  
"Although it's probably those missiles," Lucy remarked.  
  
"I agree. Either way, we can't get any closer without triggering their gravitic net. And there's no telling what defenses they have."  
  
"So this is an insertion to discover and disable their defensive systems," Kane noted. "And we'll have to figure out an insertion strategy on the way in."  
  
"That about sums it up," Zack said.  
  
"Well, it's not the best plan." Buck nodded to Kane. "But I'm pretty good at making it up as we go in."  
  
"Murphy always messes plans up anyway," Kane agreed. "I'll get the squad ready. We've got suits in case we need to go EVA or if there's something planetside."  
  
"Meanwhile we'll stay here and monitor the situation," said Zack. "If you need us to come in, call right away. Now, are you ready to go?"  
  
"Like I said, I'll get my squad and load them on the _Bastilone_ ," Kane answered. "We'll brief on the way in, since there's not much to brief."  
  
"I'm ready," Buck said.  
  
Lucy and Meridina both nodded. "Ready," added Lucy.  
  
"Then you're all dismissed." Zack stood up. "Good luck."  
  
  
  
  
The _Bastilone_ cloaked before leaving the shuttle bay built into the bottom of the _Koenig_. The assault runabout turned toward Pleiades-24 III and accelerated ahead. In the cockpit of the runabout Lucy was on pilot duty with Ensign Yang as co-pilot. "We're coming up on the gravitic grid," he said.  
  
"Keep an eye out for any reactions." As she said so, Lucy looked over the readings and guided the craft toward the point least likely to generate any reaction. She focused with her senses and sought out the grid's satellites. She would sense if they triggered, at least if she was right about this.  
  
"We're in the grid." Yang kept at work. Behind them, Buck, Meridina, and Kane watched quietly. Tense seconds passed before Yang added, "We're through. Still no sign that they detected us."  
  
"Good." Lucy carefully upped the sublight drives. As they drew closer to the planet she signaled for Yang to swap seats with her. He took over piloting duties while Lucy, now in his seat, brought up the sensors. "I'm detecting a microwave beam linking the yard to somewhere on the planet. I think that's their power source."  
  
"Microwaves? I'm guessing they're not for popping popcorn," Buck remarked.  
  
"It's a widespread method of transferring power between a planet and its orbital spaces," Lucy explained. "It's a weakness, though. If we take out the power source, the yard will be forced to rely on backups. It may be weakened. It might even be completely shut down."  
  
"And it'll definitely take out their defenses," Kane said. "Maybe we should go for removing the power supply then?"  
  
"That seems the wisest course," Meridina agreed. "Although it may be dangerous if the power source sustains an atmosphere."  
  
"That's what the suits are for, ma'am." Kane looked over her field armor suit. "Do you have a helmet for those?"  
  
"We do," Lucy answered. "I've already set their comms up."  
  
"And we've got a suit for Captain Rogers in the back." Kane motioned. "Mind joining me, Captain?"  
  
"Certainly." They stepped into the back.  
  
"Yang, take us in toward the source of those microwave emissions." Lucy used her own controls to indicate their destination. "The thin atmosphere will make it easier to avoid detection."  
  
"Aye ma'am."  
  
The _Bastilone_ flew down into the atmosphere of the planet. The craft's special heat absorbers drew in the re-entry heat, helping the cloaking device to hide it, with said heat being sent into thermal heat exchangers to gradually be released into the atmosphere or to provide steady heating for climate purposes inside the craft.  
  
As they came up on the source of the microwave transmissions, Lucy gasped in shock. "Oh my _God_."  
  
"Swenya's Light," Meridina whispered. "It is… _beautiful_."  
  
The source of the emissions had been coming from a tall mountain, at least 12 kilometers tall. Stretching for dozens of kilometers around the mountain was lush, live-bearing landscape. To the north was a rich temperate forest, to the south a green canopy of jungle terrain. The west had a wide open steppe and the east, closest to them, was beautiful green grassland interspersed with patches of trees. As they swooped overhead Lucy looked out to see that a herd of quadruped mammals that looked like… "Wooly Mammoths," she murmured, in shock.  
  
Yang slightly adjust course, which allowed for them to evade a flock of orange-and-white avians that were flying proud.  
  
"It's a nature preserve," Yang said. "On a barren world."  
  
Lucy nodded. She could _feel_ the life here. Nothing sapient, or entirely so, but still… She checked her sensors. "Life forms are all around this zone. It… it looks like some sort of field is sustaining an artificial atmosphere. Or maybe it was an attempt at terraforming."  
  
"Ma'am…"  
  
Yang prompted Lucy to look up… and scowl. The sides of the mountain had been scoured of life. She could make out open mining pits that had been torn from the forest along the northern edge. Large foundries and refineries had been built in the shadows of the mountain. "More life signs. Human, or at least near-Human. They must be the Draconians."  
  
"Where do we set down?" Yang asked.  
  
"One moment." She kept scanning, and as she did she felt angry. So many star systems, so many planets and moons and asteroids… why did they have to scar such a marvel of engineering? This was a _nature preserve_. This was unnecessary, nothing but greed.  
  
Her scans confirmed Lucy's choice of landing. "Take us to these coordinates on the northeast face of the mountain," she said. "It looks like a landing pad for a structure inside of the mountain."  
  
Yang obeyed and flew them in that direction. Lucy, meanwhile, was already noting the presence of turreted defense guns, undoubtedly meant to shoot down aerial intruders. _At least our cloaking device is holding_.  
  
When they arrived at the landing pad Lucy made a quick scan. As she expected, there were security sensors, including a camera system. She walked into the back to find the others ready. "As you may have noticed looking outside, we won't be needing helmets."  
  
"My sensors were showing a breathable atmosphere," Kane said. "But we're keeping our helmets anyway. Makes it impossible for us to get hit by knockout gas."  
  
"We are quite impervious to such as well," Meridina stated. "Or at least, it is very difficult to use such on us."  
  
Buck eyed the helmet he had been about to put on. He tried it on. It was a standard model, which meant his face was fully visible through the main plate, and it wasn't too heavy. "This works for me," he said while holstering his gun. "So how do we get in without being seen?"  
  
"Whenever you're ready, Lucy?" Meridina asked.  
  
Lucy nodded. She went to the rear of the runabout and opened the hatch. The landing pad was empty, a light gray slab buried into the mountain-side, with two large red metal doors serving as an entrance. Lucy got down to her knees and put her hands in her lap.  
  
From Buck's perspective, nothing seemed to be happening for several moments. Lucy, of course, saw differently, using her connection to the universe to feel for energy currents around the sensors. Buck only realized what she was doing when several small bulb surfaces around the door sparked. "There." Lucy stood and gestured. "I knocked out all of the cameras here and within the first section. They'll think they had a mechanical fault, at least for a while. Meridina and I will cover for you once we're far enough inside, allowing you to hunt for a power source."  
  
"You're not just going to walk in, are you? Visible?"  
  
"They're going to know someone's here sooner or later. By the time they find out those cameras have failed intentionally, you'll be deeper inside, and we'll be ready to provide a distraction," Lucy replied.  
  
"I'll come along with you ladies," Buck said. "The Draconians will know me. It might help sell the deception."  
  
"We will appreciate any assistance you might provide, Captain Rogers," Meridina said. "Let us begin."  
  
  
  
  
It was breakfast in the Lookout, with a variety of breakfast choices being made available for the crew. The engineers were particularly hungry, many having worked extra shifts to make the wide-scale impulse repairs that Scott had deemed necessary.  
  
Julia sat at one corner table with a mug of coffee and an unfinished bowl of cereal beside the scraps of what remained of a cheese omelette. Her thoughts were on the choice she was faced with.  
  
"Any seats taken?"  
  
She looked up and saw Locarno standing over the table with a tray of breakfast in his hands. When she shook her head he sat down. "How are you this morning?" he asked.  
  
"Alright, I suppose. I'm due to beam down to New Chicago in an hour. Colonel Deering and I are going to discuss our defense plans with Doctor Huer."  
  
Locarno nodded. "Right." He dug into hashed potatoes. Before taking a bite he said, "She seems to be a good commander and a great pilot."  
  
"She is," Julia said. She waited for him to start his first mouthful before she continued. "I look at her and I think… 'That's what I want to be. I want to be in command. I want to be in charge.'"  
  
After swallowing Locarno said, "I know the feeling. I used to be convinced I was going to make Captain by the time I was thirty. Faster than Kirk."  
  
"I'm not looking to rush it," Julia said. "I was content to wait for Robert to decide to move on, or get promoted. He will be eventually, or he'll be transferred to wherever Admiral Maran thinks he can be useful."  
  
"Maybe. Although I hear the Gersallians believe in leaving people where they are if it's where they work best." When Julia didn't answer that Locarno said, "I suppose being offered the _Enterprise_ changed your plans?"  
  
"It might. It should. Even thinking about how I'll need to adjust to a new command crew, how I'll need to settle into my new ship, it doesn't scare me as much as it excites me." Julia smiled slightly. She raised the cup of coffee and sipped at it. "It's a challenge. And I know I can meet it."  
  
"You've got the confidence." Locarno set his fork down and leaned forward in his chair. "What's holding you back, then?"  
  
"Like you need to ask." Julia took another drink.  
  
"You're worried about the rest of us? About how Robert will manage?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Locarno nodded. And then he shook his head and chuckled. "It's funny. Your devotion to the rest of us may hold you back. My devotion to my friends is what kept pushing me on. To tackle bigger challenges, bigger assignments." He didn't state how that eventually ended, there was no need. "I've got no advice for you. I mean, I can understand both sides of what you're going through. But I can't help you choose. You're the one who has to live with it."  
  
"I know." Julia sighed and sipped at the coffee again. "But I can't help but thinking that no matter what choice I make, I'm going to feel regret for it."  
  
"Yeah. Probably." Locarno took another bite. After he finished swallowing it he added, "That's part of life, I guess. Hell, if I'd decided against trying the Kolvoord Starburst, I'd have probably regretted it. I would have kept thinking I had lost an opportunity to prove how skilled we were. How skilled I was." The bemused look on his face had a tinge of sadness at it. "Of course, I'd still be in Starfleet if I made that decision, and so would Hajar, and Josh and Jaxa would probably still be alive…"  
  
"Is that you trying to make me feel better…?"  
  
"Oh, no." Locarno shook his head. "That's just me thinking of how ridiculous that other Nicholas Locarno would be, and how if he found out what my life went like, he wouldn't feel a damn bit of regret."  
  
"Heh. Yeah, I can see that." Julia breathed out a sigh and let her spoon drop into the unfinished cereal. "I've eaten my fill, and I need to get things together for the meeting. I'll see you later, Nick."  
  
"See you later, Julia," he replied.  
  
  
  
  
They had made it some way further into the mountain base when Buck finally said what he was thinking. "This place isn't Draconian."  
  
The inside of the structure was gold in coloration, with blue and gold flooring. The aesthetics emphasized triangular shaping, with the ceiling tapering inward until it was a point about four meters above their heads, with open-bottomed rectangles hanging down every five meters or so and filled with bright white light to illuminate the halls. Occasionally they moved past shorted out sensors. The doors all seemed to lead to storage areas filled with boxes of material.  
  
"I have never seen a design aesthetic like this before," said Meridina.  
  
"It's certainly not Darglan." Lucy continued on, looking over her omnitool as she did. "I'm using low frequency, low power sonic pulses to try and map out this place. At least until we can find a terminal…"  
  
Their wish came at the next door. They stopped just outside of it; there were people inside according to Lucy's sensors. "If we go in, they'll raise an alarm."  
  
"Let us go first," Kane said. He reached for his belt and triggered his cloaking device. His Marines did likewise.  
  
The others stood back and allowed the Marines to enter. After several seconds a series of thumps were heard. They entered to find the Marines has finished off their opponents and decloaked. "Well, we're ten seconds shorter on the batteries for these things," Kane said while his Marines secured prisoners with tie-straps. "But look what we have here."  
  
The storage room was the largest yet, clearly meant for receiving or shipping out large, bulky containers and pieces. Lucy went up to one container and scanned it. "Naqia," she said. "But Pleiades-24 III isn't rich in… wait." She narrowed her eyes. "This… this isn't raw naqia ore. This is refined. In fact, it's already ready for use in reactors or warheads."  
  
"Maybe they're bringing the naqia here for refinement and then shipping it back out?" Buck asked.  
  
"Let me see…" Lucy went about the room, scanning. Kane was busy helping his Marines find an empty container to hide their captives in. "No. I'm not seeing any raw ore. I suppose they could be out, but I doubt it."  
  
"As do I." Meridina frowned. "They must be looting this place of its naqia."  
  
"Or just its extra naqia, otherwise they wouldn't be able to power their construction yard." Lucy found a computer terminal. She switched the mode of her omnitool over. "Let me see if I can gain access to their systems."  
  
"How does that work, anyway?" Buck asked.  
  
"Omnitools can be equipped with remote data interfaces. They let me do… this." With a final key tap Lucy gained the access she was looking for. "It looks like they're shipping out this naqia regularly, along with other minerals from the planet. Including the Hafnium-178."  
  
"To the construction yard?"  
  
"Yes." She nodded at Buck. "Which tells us that whatever Darglan technology they uncovered here, it doesn't include transporter technology. Or at least, nothing they've learned to use yet. Anyway… okay, there we are. Commander Kane, I'm relaying you and your Marines coordinates for their microwave emitter assembly. It's further up, near the apex of the mountain."  
  
"But not their power source?"  
  
"No." Lucy shook her head. "We don't know what it is, Commander. It could be something that we can't safely sabotage, or even sabotage at all."  
  
Kane still had a skeptical look on his face. "Or because you don't want to destroy the nature preserve outside."  
  
Lucy met his look. "I don't. Not unless absolutely necessary." _And I'll hate all of us for bringing it to that_. "But we don't know what we're dealing with. However Darglan tech ended up here, this structure doesn't conform to anything the Darglan built. This is someone else's building. Maybe someone else's nature preserve."  
  
"Right." Kane relaxed his expression. "You make a good point."  
  
"And save your cloaks," Lucy instructed. "I just hacked into their computer systems and disabled the entire system. They had to rig it with the pre-existing structure, so hopefully they'll think it's still mechanical failure. If not… that's why Meridina and I are ready to cause a lot of noise."  
  
"Acknowledged." He turned to his troops. "Okay Marines, we're moving out!" He operated his light power armor's omnitool interface. "I've relayed our target and our path to your omnitools, let's get a move on…!"  
  
The Marines filed out, leaving Lucy with Meridina and Buck. "Anything else we can find in here? Like where they're getting their technology?"  
  
Lucy shook her head. "No. They may have it on an isolated system. What I am seeing is the way to the command deck, personnel quarters, a couple of labs, and something called the "Source Chamber".  
  
"That does sound the most promising," said Meridina.  
  
"It does." Lucy quickly loaded the necessary data to their omnitools. "I just got us a path to it. It's three levels down and there's an access ladder. Let's go!"  
  
  
  
  
Just as Commander Kane was leading his Marines toward their target at the top of the volcano, another Kane was moving through the halls deeper in the volcano. This Kane disliked this alien place. It was too bright and it was hard to secure in proper fashion. But its value to the Empire was incalculable, so he endured.  
  
His destination was a set of quarters closest to the command room for the base, at the end of a long hall flanked by two Draconian soldiers bearing assault laser rifles in their arms. They saluted to him with a clenched fist over their heart and he saluted back. "Did you awaken the Princess?" he asked.  
  
They looked to one another with some nervousness. "We attempted to, sir, but her servant said she had left strict instructions to…"  
  
Kane suppressed the desire to shoot them. "Open the door, now!"  
  
They obeyed. The door slid open and he entered the Princess' private chambers. She was still in bed, splayed out on her luxurious bed with its golden sheets with her back turned to Kane. Two slave-girls, her personal attendants, were laying beside the bed, and the older woman in charge of her chambers moved to intercept Kane. "The Princess left strict instructions not to disturb her rest…"  
  
Kane shoved the woman out of the way and barked, "Princess, we have a situation, I must speak with you!"  
  
The form under the sheets moved and turned. Ardala's brown eyes flashed with irritation at seeing Kane. "What is it now, Kane? Speak before I have you shot."  
  
Kane showed no reaction to Ardala's threat. He knew she wouldn't dare, it would displease her father too greatly, and even Ardala would not countenance the Emperor's wrath. "Our security monitors are down across this alien facility."  
  
Ardala took interest in that. "Really? And you are having them repaired, of course?"  
  
"Of course," said Kane. "But the timing is suspect."  
  
"Ah." Ardala smiled. It was a predatory smile. "You believe that Earth agents have entered the base? Perhaps even Buck Rogers himself?"  
  
"It is a possibility. Our spies have reported that the Allied Systems have invisibility technology known as cloaking devices. Indeed, the gravitic net we purchased through Aldebaran was intended to deal with such craft, but we can't guarantee it works. Even now Alliance or Earth agents may be loose in our base."  
  
"Well, take precautions then. Have the guards around the microwave emitter and the power core doubled." A thought came to Ardala. She slipped out of the bed, exposing her body to Kane. He averted his eyes, as was appropriate, and waited until she had donned her clothes. As usual, Ardala was not one for physical modesty. The top was exquisitely-crafted, with strong shoulder pads of light purple silk and cotton that supported the bands covering her chest, and a semi-translucent silk dress of the same color that hinted at the shape of her legs. "And gather my guards," she added. "At least a half dozen."  
  
"Where do you intend to go, Princess?" Kane asked.  
  
"To satisfy a hunch," Ardala said.  
  
  
  
  
Going down the access tube wasn't difficult, thankfully, and Lucy led them down more of the gold-and-blue corridors. "This place must have been a command facility to maintain the nature preserve," she said.  
  
"And now the Draconians want it for something else," Buck said. "And they'll tear this place apart in the process."  
  
"We'll have to come back and drive them out. We can't let this place stay in their control."  
  
"You won't get any argument from me."  
  
As they approached the next turn Lucy stopped and flattened herself against the wall. "Guards," she whispered. Meridina and Buck did the same. All three moved close to the corner. Buck was tempted to look around it, but Lucy held him back and shook his head. She looked to Meridina. _You or me?_ she asked.  
  
_You could use the practice_ , Meridina answered, noticing the bewildered look on Buck's face. _My apologies if I have presumed, Captain, but telepathic communication is the safest course_.  
  
_I'm just not used to someone being in my mind_ , he answered, looking at her.  
  
_I will not enter your memories or thoughts without your permission. I am bound by my Code to respect your mental privacy_.  
  
Lucy was already moving around the corner. The guard saw her and raised their weapons. Lucy brought her hand up and waved it. Her will pressed against their wills. "You will let me and my friends pass," she said. "We have permission."  
  
For a moment Lucy wasn't sure it worked. Then both repeated what she said in dull tones. She looked back as Meridina led Buck around the corner. He watched the guards warily as they walked past. "How did you do that?" he asked.  
  
_It is a mental compulsion through our swevyra, our life force energies_ , Meridina explained. _It only works against those who are not willful enough to resist the compulsion._  
  
"Right." Buck patted the pistol on his waist. "How much further?"  
  
Lucy consulted her omnitool. _Not much further_ , she thought. _And remember, telepathic conversation._  
  
"It's not…" Buck caught himself. _Sorry.  
  
No harm done_.  
  
They went past an access room for one of the power conduits running through the base. Their path eventually led them to a closed door with a Draconian guard. Lucy stepped forward to repeat the same mental trick on this one.  
  
At first it looked like she succeeded. But as she drew closer, and Buck and Meridina moved into sight, the guard started to bring his gun up. Lucy already recognized that his will had re-asserted itself over the compulsion and reached out with her hand. The gun went flying from his grasp. The Draconian stood and gawked in utter shock at being disarmed. Buck ran past Lucy and delivered a solid punch that laid the Draconian out. He looked up at her. _I guess it doesn't always work?  
  
Not always. And I'm not as used to doing it as Meridina._  
  
Meridina stepped up while Buck used tie-straps that Commander Kane had given him to secure the Draconian's wrists and ankles together. _I am a_ farisa _, however. A natural telepath. You are not._  
  
While the two women watched his back, Buck picked up the unconscious guard and stepped into the "Source Chamber". He took a couple steps in and put the man down, even as he stared at the sight within. "Well, I don't think I expected that."  
  
Lucy and Meridina entered and looked around the room.  
  
In the far wall was an alcove with a flat pod or chamber that was surrounded by inactive screens or displays, the pod itself wide open. The walls were lined with power lines that ran to the alcove, creating gray bumps in the otherwise gold surface. Closer to them, in the middle of the room, was a chair. It was plainly not a nice chair, with strong metal straps in place to bind the occupant by the wrists, the ankles, and across the chest and waist. A battery of mobile devices was set to one side.  
  
The occupant raised a head. While it - or apparently he - was bipedal, the occupant was also clearly alien given the shape of his head. His skull was tall and not covered with hair, but rather a sort of fine yellow fuzz that ended halfway between the top of the head and the eyes. Their location gave the alien the feel of having a caricatured, vertically elongated face. The eyes were pinkish in color, revealed when the alien's eyes opened to see them. The alien was in a blue jumpsuit of sorts, but there were numerous tears and worn parts to it.  
  
A faint little smile crossed an otherwise-pained expression. It spoke in an alien language that their translators lagged in decrypting.  
  
"Swenya's Light," Meridina gasped.  
  
"What?" asked Buck.  
  
"My God." Lucy stared in shock. "It can't be…"  
  
"Human," the alien said. It spoke again in its tongue. This time the translators worked, having found the language in their databanks. "Not one of the others." The voice had a medium pitch to it, with a hint of a difference in sound produced by what seemed like an altered breathing pattern. Its pink eyes focused on Meridina. "You speak of Swenya. You are Gersallian. To see one of your people again…"  
  
Buck motioned to it. 'You know this guy?"  
  
Lucy swallowed. "No, but I know the race." She stared forward. "It's… he's a _Darglan_. _A living, breathing Darglan_."  
  
"Oh, so that's what the wretched creature is."  
  
The three whirled around and faced the door, now barred by several armed men flanking two figures. One was a man in a militaristic black uniform, with dark hair and mustache with dark eyes. The other was a woman who was clearly beautiful and, even more clearly, glad to show it with how much skin the suit revealed.  
  
Buck frowned. "Princess Ardala," he said. "Fancy meeting you here."  
  
"Ah, Buck Rogers." Ardala's grin was ferocious and pleased. "I thought it was you. I'm pleased you've come, actually."  
  
"Oh?" he asked. "And why's that."  
  
Her eyes glinted wickedly. "Why, so you'll survive the destruction of the Earth, of course. As my prisoner."


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aurora crew must protect an Earth seeking Alliance membership from a powerful empire.

Lucy and Meridina reached for their lightsabers. Ardala raised a hand with a device in it. "Lower your weapons. This is tied to the chair our guest is kept in. It will send a solid electric shock through his body. If you make any other move, I will trigger it with enough strength to kill this 'Darglan'."  
  
Buck stepped ahead of the others. He gave Ardala a skeptical look. "Really, Princess? You're going to kill the source of all of your new technology?"  
  
"He has not been cooperative in that avenue, I fear," Ardala replied. "Most of what we have learned comes from examining what we found here."  
  
"I am dying already," said the Darglan. "Do not let them hold this place. They do not deserve it. They are cruel and petty…"  
  
"Come, Buck, do you really expect to survive if you start a fight here?" Ardala asked. "We have you trapped. If you all surrender you will be treated well and I will not harm the alien."  
  
"And I'm just supposed to trust your word?" Buck asked. "You've always had problems keeping it in the past."  
  
"Ah, but now I have no need to break it. The power in this place will make the Empire ultimate in this space. Perhaps we will even gain the secrets of the interuniversal drive from this place."  
  
"It would be your destruction to use that secret from this place," said the Darglan. "It is not safe."  
  
_I can yank the control from her_ , Lucy said. _Or Meridina_.  
  
_But can you do that and stop them all from shooting?_ was Buck's mental reply. _We may just need to play along_ …  
  
Meridina didn't join their conversation. She was focused elsewhere.  
  
"We'll be the judge of that, alien," Ardala snapped. She returned her attention to Buck. "Ten seconds, Captain Rogers, then I press this button and my men open fire. Ten, nine, eight…"  
  
  
  
  
The microwave emitter dominated the chamber. Kane looked it over from a second tier entrance, the highest he could find into the room. It resembled a satellite dish vaguely, but with a large needle coming from the center and pointing up past the ceiling of the chamber toward the open sky. Men in dark uniforms milled around. All were armed, but only some had rifles. "Barker, Yamashita, to the right. Hajama, Toussiers, left. Ijala, pick your targets. Belyakova, you watch his back and spot. Rosenfeld, get your charges ready, I'm with you."  
  
His Marine squad split up as he requested. Kane followed Rosenfeld toward a walkway that would take them up to the microwave emitter. Lance Corporal Leah Rosenfeld, as the best-trained of his current demolition specialists, was as careful as he could hope. Even cloaked, sound could give them away if they let their footsteps clang along the metal walkway. Careful steps prevented such an easy giveaway of their presence.  
  
There was a single technician at work on the walkway. Kane kept an eye on him while Rosenfeld went to work with her charges. They would become visible after she moved away from them, adding a challenge to this operation. Kane noted with approval that she was deliberately placing them to reduce the likelihood of someone seeing them. If it all went according to plan, the first sign that there was trouble would be when they hit the detonators.  
  
Assuming, of course, that it all went to plan.  
  
Usually, things going wrong didn't start in the way they did.  
  
_Commander Kane_.  
  
Kane blinked and looked around.  
  
_I cannot speak over our commline_. It was Meridina's voice. _We have a hostage situation. A distraction would be most welcome._  
  
Kane sighed at that, wondering how their part of the mission could turn into a hostage situation. But he knew what this meant.  
  
"It looks like we're the distraction now, Marines," he said. "Rosenfeld, keep fitting those devices, and put some on the bottom level if you need to. Ijala, pick a target. I've got this guy."  
  
The poor technician never saw him coming. Kane held his arm out and clotheslined the guy onto his back with a loud thud. That clearly drew attention from below. "What's going on up there?" one voice called out.  
  
Ijala fired his shot. One of the guards went down. Visibly.  
  
That was enough to set the others off. "Sound the alarm!" one of them shouted.  
  
The Marines decloaked, if just to save their battery power for the moment, and opened up from their places on the upper catwalk. Kane pulled his rifle from the attachment point on his back and did the same. _WHOM WHOM WHOM_ sounds filled the air and the Draconians had no chance to put up a fight. The technicians ran for the door and safety while the armed men sought cover. Kane saw one succeed before lifting his rifle up. He ducked into cover himself. Sparks flew above from the unseen shot that hit the casing of the emitter. Barker's voice sounded over his comms. " _It looks like they're packing laser rifles, sir._ "  
  
"Don't get hit, and everyone remember there's no fire to track them. Rely on other ways of finding shooters." Kane slowly rose from his cover and drew a bead on his shooter. A burst of orange light took him out; Ijala had hit his target.  
  
And then a loud klaxon filled the air. Someone had indeed gotten to the alarm.  
  
_Just as planned… I guess_ , was Commander Kane's thought.  
  
  
  
  
Ardala had gotten to "Two" when the alarm split the air. For a split second, confusion reigned.  
  
Meridina's free hand snapped up and the device flew from Ardala's grasp to strike the ground behind Meridina where it was now nestled against the wall.  
  
Buck rushed forward, not expecting Meridina's act, and slammed into Ardala before he realized she didn't have the device anymore. He stopped himself from following her to the ground and turned to throw a fist at Kane. Kane moved enough to not take the punch directly to his face and took the impact on his shoulder instead. He kicked out and knocked Buck back. "Fire!" he shouted.  
  
It hadn't been necessary. The other Draconians were already shooting.  
  
They just weren't hitting anything.  
  
Lucy's lightsaber was active and moving, a blade of blue light catching the unseen lasers and deflecting them back into their shooters, while Meridina's protected both herself and the Darglan behind her. One had sparks erupt from his leg and toppled. The other cried out from a laser to the shoulder.  
  
Kane had already lifted Ardala up and was pulling her to safety. Buck set into the nearest guard. He punched the guard in the jaw, a blow that bruised his knuckles but set the Draconian out cold.  
  
The remaining Draconians retreated back through the door. Lucy gave them a final shove with her power to get them out of the door. Buck went up to the control and hit a key. After it was shut he turned back. "That was good timing."  
  
"Commander Kane was kind enough to provide us a distraction," said Meridina. "One moment." She looked to the captive Darglan and held her hands up. The metal bands tying the being to the chair snapped in sequence. He stood up and immediately fell forward into Meridina's arms. "You are injured."  
  
Lucy was already scanning him. "More than just hurt. The scans show cellular damage."  
  
"Yes," said the being. "I am afraid my rescue is a waste. I am already dying."  
  
"How?" Buck asked.  
  
"The stasis chamber… unh." The Darglan grimaced. "The Draconians did not disengage it properly. They damaged my body when they took me from stasis."  
  
"We'll get you medical attention," Buck promised. He extended a hand. "I'm Buck. Buck Rogers."  
  
"Lucy Lucero."  
  
"I am Meridina."  
  
The Darglan looked to all of them. A smile was showing on his amber-shaded lips. "I am Jornam, the keeper of this place."  
  
"This place being a Darglan base?" Buck asked.  
  
Jornam shook his head. "No… we did not build it. We discovered it, and the wondrous preserve. After the war I stayed…" He stopped and grimaced.  
  
Sensing Jornam's problem, Lucy took her canteen from her belt and opened the top. "Water," she said.  
  
"Thank you." The Darglan drank the water weakly, but with visible enjoyment. "They have been denying me sustenance beyond my basic survival needs. But I would never cooperate with the like. They will abuse the gifts of this place."  
  
"They already have. They attacked Earth and nearly hit it with a missile."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Is there a way to make them leave?" asked Lucy. "Without destroying the Preserve, if we can?"  
  
Jornam nodded. "The structure is made to seal off its power source from the rest of the base. The mountain itself no longer contains a volcanic chamber, but the builders created the means to fill the levels with lava as a precaution. I can provide you the means to trigger the security system."  
  
"Right now I'm more worried about escape,." Buck gestured toward the door. "Ardala's going to have her goons ready for us to come out."  
  
"Then we will not go out that way." With Meridina's help Jornam went over to a wall. He pressed his hand against it, showing off the longer, slender fingers of a Darglan hand in the process. Once it was settled against the wall for a moment, the wall slid open. "Come. My personal chamber."  
  
Buck and Lucy followed Jornam and Meridina into what looked like a cozy little sleeping room. The air smelled surprisingly fresh given how long it had been sealed. A soft cot was to one side. A chair faced a screen on an elevated part of the floor with a control panel between the two. "For my rest," he explained. He moved into the room and to the controls. They lit up when he pressed them. Meridina remained at his side. Her power was focused on Jornam in an attempt to heal.  
  
"If Caterina was here, she would still be shrieking in joy," Lucy observed. She watched Jornam begin his work.  
  
"Who is this 'Caterina'?"  
  
"Our ship's science officer," Lucy answered. "She hasn't met anything she doesn't love to scan and learn all about."  
  
"I suspect she wishes she was immortal so she could see everything," Meridina added.  
  
A pleasant smile appeared on Jornam's face. "I would very much like to… unh… meet this person. It pleases me that the spirit of my people lives on." Lucy and Meridina exchanged sad looks. Jornam noticed this and added, "I know the Darglan people are extinct," he informed them. "That the First One species called the Shadows killed us. It was not a surprise."  
  
"You knew? How?" Lucy asked.  
  
"An automated message from She'teyal about the attack." He had to stop and take a breath. "My friends promised me they would ensure I received any emergency communications from the Homeworld, and though long dead, they did." Jornam tapped another key. "You must have many questions."  
  
"Oh, a lot," Lucy admitted. "There's still a lot about your people we don't know. We've found databanks and a couple of your Facilities…"  
  
"Truly?" Jornam seemed happy at that. "And you have used them well?"  
  
"We think so. We don't have the Facility any more. The Daleks attacked…"  
  
"The _Daleks_?!" Jornam, despite his weakness, put heat into his voice. He turned, his pink eyes wild with fear. "Did they take it from you?!"  
  
"We blew it up," Lucy assured him. "We detonated one of your small multi-mission ships' power cores after destabilizing the naqia. It wiped out the DT field."  
  
Relief showed on the Darglan's face. "Good. That is…" He grimaced as pain visibly shot through him again. "I am connecting to the old database of this place."  
  
"Who built it?" asked Lucy. "You made it sound like it isn't Darglan."  
  
"It was not. Though it does… resemble... " He grunted again. "...the styles of the S'kama people of my species. This is a place built by an old species. One that came before us." Jornam looked to Lucy and gestured toward a circular container on a shelf near the bed. "I prepared a device during my last waking cycle, a data storage databank that has my database of knowledge from this place. Please, take it. So that it is not forgotten. That was my… ungh… purpose."  
  
Lucy nodded and retrieved the container. Within it was a familiar orange disc, much like the one the Consort had given Robert the prior year, but this one lacked the pocket dimension storage that made Robert's impossible to read. "And the security measures?"  
  
"I will soon be able to activate them."  
  
"Can you contact the Draconians?" Buck asked. "And warn them to get their people to safety?"  
  
Jornam considered what Buck had just asked. "You would warn them? Despite what they have done?"  
  
"I've seen enough death in my life," was Buck's answer.  
  
The Darglan looked to Meridina. "And you, you are both followers of Swenya? I remember her… she would argue the same if she were here."  
  
"Yes, she would," said Meridina. Lucy could feel the energy building within Meridina, a tension between her fear for Jornam's life… and her desire to learn more of what Jornam knew of Swenya and of the Gersallians in her time. Knowledge that was lost or distorted for her people, and here was someone who could share it…  
  
"Of course. And you are right to do so." Jornam operated his controls. "I have the original structure's operating system fully accessed. I will activate a link to the command center shortly."  
  
"How is Commander Kane doing?" Lucy asked Meridina. "You still have telepathic contact with him?"  
  
Meridina nodded. "He is… occupied."  
  
  
  
  
As more laser shots created burns into the wall behind him, Commander Kane had the mental image of being stuck in a hive that's just been kicked over.  
  
The Draconians didn't have power armor. What they did have was an almost suicidal willingness to charge his Marines in the hope of getting a shot off, and with numbers that was effective enough. Kane was now kneeling beside Ijala and focusing fire on the lower level, where Rosenfeld was finishing the last of her charges. Ijala claimed another officer with a direct headshot. Behind them Barker was busy overseeing their escape route.  
  
" _This is the last one_ ," Rosenfeld said. She turned away from the emitter, glanced toward the stairway to see how exposed it was, and did the smart thing. She braced herself and activated her power armor's short-use jump jets. Plumes of energy surged from the back and the young woman was airborne.  
  
"Suppressing fire!" Kane had already shouted, and the Marines promptly moved from cover and began firing everything to keep the Draconians' heads down. This did draw fire, as hoped.  
  
Rosenfeld's pained " _Oy vey!_ " made it clear at least one Draconian had gotten a shot off. Kane spotted the offender and shot him in the chest, putting him down.  
  
Toussiers ran from cover to help Rosenfeld, who was cursing profusely in Yiddish that their systems didn't both translating. Kane distinctly heard " _Mamzer_ " and " _schlimazel_ " in the rant, the only words he could make out. He hoped that the rest were proper cursing like a combat-wounded Marine was permitted. That hope was joined with shooting up another of the Draconian soldiers. "Toussiers, status on Rosenfeld?"  
  
" _Hit to the shoulder, sir. She can walk, but the laser penetrated the armor enough to damage the tissue. Her left arm's immobile_."  
  
"Right. Time to go then!" Kane looked up. "Withdraw! Back to the LZ!"  
  
Ijala immediately compacted his sniper rifle. The Alakin was still pulling his backup pulse pistol out as he went through the door they'd entered through. Barker and Yamashita were spraying fire in one direction to keep enemy troops from coming that way. Belyakova pulled back to join Ijala and Hajama remained with Kane. The Dorei man kept his rifle firing with superb control. Together Kane and Hajama gave the cover Toussiers needed to help Rosenfeld back through the door. "Go," Kane ordered, following Hajama.  
  
A burst of energy and light came from the far corner, courtesy of a pulse grenade Barker has thrown. The team moved with swiftness down through the base, retracing the steps they'd taken to come this way. When they reached the desired distance, Rosenfeld used her functioning right hand to trigger her explosives. The vibrations shook the structure around them.  
  
"Kane to _Bastilone_. Primary objective complete." Kane checked the remaining charge in his pulse rifle. "We're returning to the LZ. Expect a hot evac."  
  
" _Roger that, Commander_ ," replied Ensign Yang.  
  
"Kane to Meridina. Emitter's down. We'll hold for you at the main storage bay."  
  
" _Do not, Commander_ ," said Meridina. " _We are preparing a process to render this place uninhabitable to the enemy. Proceed straight to the_ Bastilone. _We will be behind you._ "  
  
"Copy that." Kane motioned to his people. "Double time it, let's go!"  
  
  
  
  
In Jornam's room, he turned to Buck and nodded. "You wished to speak? I am establishing a link to the command center."  
  
Buck nodded. A holographic image popped up beside the wall. The Draconians had filled the structure's command area with their own equipment. He could see numerous Draconians were at work, and an angry Princess Ardala was fuming from a chair. "Hello, Princess," he said.  
  
" _Rogers!_ " Ardala looked at him and glared. " _Do you really think you'll escape this?_ "  
  
"I'm pretty confident of it," Buck answered. "I just wanted to let you know that we're about to fill this entire structure with lava. You might want to evacuate."  
  
" _You… you couldn't. You can't!_ "  
  
"Well, seeing as I have the place's custodian with me, I'm pretty sure I can." Buck showed her a confident smile. "I'll give you ten minutes to clear out. Rogers out."  
  
Jornam recognized the terminology and cut the communication. He pressed several more keys. "I have set the security system to begin the failsafe procedure. Only I can undo it."  
  
"It is a shame to destroy this place," Meridina lamented. "I feel there is much we can learn here."  
  
"The power core will survive. That is what matters. The wonders of this world will not be extinguished." Jornam stood and winced. "I… I am sorry, but my energy is spent. You should go."  
  
"We're not leaving you here to drown in lava," Lucy declared. "We're taking you with us."  
  
"You will need all of your skill to escape," Jornam insisted. "I cannot be responsible for your deaths. Not when I am dying… unh… already."  
  
"We will bring you to safety, Jornam," Meridina assured him. "And you will again see the stars your people so enjoyed traveling among."  
  
Jornam gave Meridina a wistful, sad look. "My poor people. Our curiosity could be such a curse, but it is what made us the people we were. Very well…" He tapped another key on his console. In the corner the wall opened to reveal something that looked like a mirror. A second key press caused the surface of the mirror to begin rippling. "It is a dimensional portal device. I have set it to take us to the upper section of this facility."  
  
Lucy stared at it. "Is that… did your people make that?"  
  
"No. The original builders did. I spent many…" Jornam groaned yet again. Meridina and Lucy could feel the pain inside of him and Lucy was worrying he might not live much longer. "...many years studying this place."  
  
"I shall give you the benefit of my strength." Meridina held onto Jornam. She reached into him with the Flow of Light and used her power to ease his pains. "Come."  
  
"Well, off we go to Wonderland," Buck observed.  
  
One by one they went into the portal. On the other end they were in a dark, empty chamber. Jornam stepped up, with Meridina's help, to examine the wall. One panel lit up and became a Darglan interface panel. He tapped several keys of Darglan script and a door slid open. Once they were through Lucy checked her omnitool. "We're just one level below the LZ," she said.  
  
"This is the way," Jornam told them. With Meridina beside him to help him, he took the lead in taking them down the gold-and-blue corridor.  
  
  
  
  
Alert lights were showing on long-dormant alien screens. Draconian officers and technicians tried desperately to understand what was going on. Ardala watched them, her face an impassive mask hiding frustration and a little rage. Kane looked none too happy either. "I am sorry, Highness," one technician said. "We… we cannot access the core processes of this place's computer systems. We never have been able to, and it is from there that this sequence is being controlled. Lava will begin flowing into the base in eight minutes."  
  
"We should have killed that alien long ago," Kane said gruffly.  
  
"Perhaps." Ardala looked toward Kane. "What of the missiles?"  
  
"I completed three," he said. "The others are hours or days away from completion."  
  
"Then begin their launch sequences," Ardala ordered. "And have my ship ready for my arrival. We will personally escort the missiles to Earth this time."  
  
Kane nodded to a technician. "Enabling launch sequences, Highness."  
  
"Good. Now sound evacuation." Ardala eyed Kane. "Let us depart."  
  
"At once, Highness," he agreed.  
  
  
  
  
Magda noticed the changes on her screens. "Commander." She looked over to where Zack seemed to be thinking quietly. "I'm detecting activity in the yard. It looks like they're energizing some of the craft."  
  
"They're preparing to launch," Zack said. "Okay, let's hope they stirred up a mess down there. We're going to Code Red. Ap, take us in. April, prepare weapons. Magda, decloak when we're in range."  
  
Everyone answered and the _Koenig_ flew forward, flying through the gravitic net. Whatever warnings it would give, it didn't matter now.  
  
  
  
  
Commander Kane and his Marines made it to the LZ with a platoon of Draconians on their tails. Standard fire-and-move tactics helped them keep the enemy suppressed with a generous use of grenades. Kane threw his last into the corridor as he went out the door to the landing pad. Draconian craft were already moving toward them to evacuate the Draconian personnel. Kane and his people ran into the _Bastilone_ , disappearing from view as they passed into the cloaking field's effects.  
  
Kane left Barker to get everyone ready to hold the LZ for the others while he went to the cockpit. Yang was sitting there watching the incoming Draconian shuttles. "They're unarmed, sir. Do you want me to begin offensive action?"  
  
"No. Stay cloaked. They're just evacuating. Commander Meridina and her team are wrecking this place."  
  
Yang nodded. "Okay sir."  
  
Once Kane knew the young pilot wouldn't move the ship, he returned to the back. He swapped out his charge clip for a fresh one and joined the others in defensive positions.  
  
  
  
  
Jornam was managing to move at a quick pace with Meridina's power bolstering his failing body. They made it to the staircase and had gone through the main cargo receiving area before they found Draconian soldiers behind them. Lucy turned and ignited her lightsaber. "Keep going!" she shouted. "I'll cover you."  
  
Meridina and Jornam did. Buck, however, turned back and pulled out his laser pistol. He timed his shots, causing spurts of sparks to appear along the walls and floors when his shots weren't hitting the Draconians themselves. Lucy's lightsaber was a blur of blue. The lasers hitting it were invisible to the human eye. But Lucy could still sense where they would be. Her life force was guiding her arms and weapon, putting it in position to deflect shots, while Buck's fire was keeping the Draconians from pressing her with their numbers. They kept backpedaling as they went.  
  
Meridina and Jornam got to the door first. She led him in the direction of the _Bastilone_. He seemed surprised to be going toward nothing. Just before he spoke of his uncertainty on the matter, they entered the cloaking field. The runabout and the armed Marines suddenly appeared.  
  
"Commander Meridina." Commander Kane nodded to her. "A friend?"  
  
"He is Jornam, the original caretaker of this place." She nodded to him. "And he is a Darglan."  
  
Meridina thought there was something quite amusing about the surprise that briefly showed on Kane's face. The other Marines had reactions ranging similarly, from quiet, stunned surprise to incredulousness.  
  
Meridina turned back to where Lucy and Buck were coming through the door. The fire against them was forcing them to keep their focus on defense and was slowing them down.  
  
A sudden rumble filled the mountainside. "That would be the security system, I believe, Jornam said.  
  
"We need to get out of here. Barker?"  
  
"Yes sir." Barker grabbed hold of a set of rungs built into the side of the Marine waiting bay. She climbed up into a seat set into the ceiling. "I've got the angle, sir. But we need to decloak first."  
  
Kane nodded and hit the intercom key on the wall. "Yang, decloak, we're going weapons hot back here."  
  
" _Yes sir_."  
  
The Draconians, undoubtedly, got a sight when the squat runabout shimmered into view, resting on her warp nacelles toward the rear and with her back wide open.  
  
The twin turret anti-personnel pulse cannon built into the top of the craft was also an unpleasant surprise.  
  
It began to fire, a massive **_WHOM WHOM WHOM_** filling the air as the bright blue pulses flew over the heads of Lucy and Buck before striking their pursuers. The hits were instant killers, vaporizing the Draconians with direct hits. Even glancing ones could kill or severely wound.  
  
And then they saw it. Felt it. From within the structure a wall of bright orange and red rock was spewing forth, a river that would kill everything it touched.  
  
With the weapon's suppressive fire Lucy and Buck were able to turn and run into the back of the runabout. Lucy went through the Marines' space and up to the cockpit, where Yang quickly let her assume the helm. "Lifting off now, restoring cloaking device."  
  
The _Bastilone_ picked up from the landing zone just as the lava began to surge from the entrance. It shimmered out of view again and raced for orbit.  
  
In the back, Toussiers helped Meridina secure Jornam. "This kind of cellular damage is just… how could this happen?" asked the combat medic.  
  
"The Draconians did not awaken me properly," said the Darglan. "The damage is fatal."  
  
"Well, maybe not if we can get you back to the _Aurora_ on time." Toussiers kept scanning. "I don't even think I can offer painkillers for you, though. I've got no idea of your physiology, if any of our meds will help you or might kill you."  
  
"It is… alright." Jornam looked to Meridina. "Might I see them?"  
  
Meridina nodded. "Follow me to the cockpit, then."  
  
The _Bastilone_ was in orbit by the time they made it there. Jornam was contented as he sat down at a panel, his eyes focused on the open void ahead of them.  
  
"Let's get back to the _Koenig_ ," Lucy said.  
  
Meridina nodded and tapped a key. " _Bastilone_ to _Koenig_ , we're ready for pickup."  
  
" _Standby_ ," came Magda's reply. " _We're on an attack run_."  
  
"Standing by," Lucy answered, while ahead of them the _Koenig_ decloaked and opened fire.  
  
  
  
  
The _Koenig_ bridge was all business when the ship opened fire. The viewer showed the phaser cannons blasting into the Draconian construction yard. Explosions flowered from the surface, with atmospheric gas and debris spewing from the new wounds in the yard. Solar torpedoes raced across the distance and slipped into one section of the yard, where they hit an incomplete missile. A large explosion consumed the rear half of the weapon.  
  
"I'm reading power surges in the yard. They're trying to power their defense guns."  
  
"Prepare evasive maneuvers, Ap, if we need them. April?"  
  
As the _Koenig_ moved past the yard, the aft torpedo launchers fired as well. These shots nailed another of the partially-completed missiles, blasting the warhead clear off.  
  
The _Koenig_ made a sharp turn in space and opened up again on the yard. Another spread of torpedoes blew apart the skeleton of a missile while the phasers gouged out chunks from another.  
  
The Draconian energy weapons opened up on the _Koenig_. The bridge shook from the hits they took while Apley corkscrewed the ship into another attack run. "Shields at ninety percent," Magda reported.  
  
"Take us on another run," Zack ordered.  
  
They flew in on the run and another of the enemy missiles was blown apart. "The last ones are mostly intact, we'll need several more attack…" Magda's attention was drawn to a new contact. "I've got a ship approaching at high sublight velocity. I've never seen it before, running it through recognition profiles…" Magda waited for the results while the _Koenig_ threaded more defensive fire to damage the yard further.  
  
"Magda, any better idea on what it is?" Zack asked.  
  
"Still… ah, there. I have the profile. It's a Draconian warship, believed to be called the _Dominator_ -class." Magda looked to Zack and shook her head. "It's definitely out of our weight class, and they're already launching Hatchet fighters. I've got a dozen coming in to intercept."  
  
"And probably more soon enough. Are they armed with naqia weapons?'  
  
"I believe so, going by these readings."  
  
_A dozen of those fighters, all of those missiles… this won't work._ "Alright, we're getting out of here. Bring us back around and give Lucy an approach vector to land the _Bastilone_ quickly."  
  
Apley's response was immediate. "Yes sir."  
  
The _Koenig_ broke away from the damaged construction yard. A few more shots from the dorsal phaser, and another spread from the aft torpedoes, did further damage to it. Ahead of the ship the _Bastilone_ decloaked while Apley raised the _Koenig_ 's bow relative to their approach vector. With precision Lucy flew up to the underside of the _Koenig_ and entered the opening shuttle bay door.  
  
"The _Bastilone_ is secure," said Magda. "Enemy Hatchet fighters entering range. They're locking missiles."  
  
"Take us back to the Pleiades Cluster Stargate, maximum warp."  
  
The _Koenig_ jumped to warp just as the first missiles fired.  
  
  
  
  
Ardala stomped onto the bridge of her flagship, the _Dragon's Fire_ , with all of her usual imperiousness. The captain of the ship saluted to her, fist over heart. "Your Highness, the smaller vessel escaped with their stardrives."  
  
"Yes. Well, you were out of position."  
  
"What will your punishment be?"  
  
Ardala smiled at the man, who was trying to hide his fear. She glanced toward Kane and shook her head. "Nothing, for the moment. If all goes as desired, I may show leniency."  
  
"The yard is badly damaged. It will require weeks to repair," the captain continued. "But the three missiles you ordered launched were not severely damaged. We can resume the launch sequence soon."  
  
"Ah. Very good." Ardala settled into her own personal chair on the bridge. "Then do so, with all haste. Buck Rogers and his friends have taken our prize and ruined our lovely new base. But it will be for nothing when our missiles ruin the Earth."  
  
"As you command, Princess."  
  
Ardala watched the captain return to work with quiet pleasure. Her father would not be happy with the damage they took, but it could be repaired. Even the alien structure could be reclaimed with a lot of work. And the Earth… the Earth was still hers to destroy.  
  
And she would be there to see it happen.  
  
  
  
  
When Zack stepped into the infirmary, he still couldn't believe what Lucy had told him about over the comms.  
  
Seeing made him believe.  
  
Barnes came in behind him. "Holy _crap_ ," the engineer said. "It's… it's actually…"  
  
"...a Darglan," Zack finished for him, looking over the orange bipedal alien. Meridina was standing beside him, holding her hand to his back, while Doctor Opani was scanning him with a medical omnitool. Buck and Lucy were standing nearby. "A living Darglan."  
  
"I am Jornam," the Darglan said. His pink eyes took in the sight of the two. "You are the commander of this ship?"  
  
"Commander Zachary Carrey, Alliance _Starship Koenig_."  
  
"...'Alliance', you say?"  
  
"Yes, the United Alliance of Systems," Zack answered. "We're an interuniversal group of Humans, Alakins, Gersallians, and Dorei. We've also made contact with a large number of other galaxies…"  
  
Jornam sighed in contentment. "Then you accomplished our dream. We had wished to see the same happen. If only…" Jornam grimaced and clutched at his chest. "I apologize, Commander. I am dying, and it is becoming painful."  
  
Zack looked to Opani. The Dorei woman, her skin a dark teal with light purple spotting, shook her head. "The cellular damage is bad, Commander. I definitely can't save him here, and even the medbay on the _Aurora_ might not do it."  
  
"I have done what I can," Meridina added. "But my power only alleviates his pain and helps him to move easier. I lack the strength to heal him."  
  
Zack couldn't keep the frown off his face. A Darglan, alive, but dying. Perhaps beyond their power to save. It seemed unfair. "Make him comfortable," Zack ordered. "We're still an hour out from the stargate. As soon as we're back to Earth…"  
  
"You must warn them," said Jornam. "The Draconians will attack again."  
  
"With their FTL drives, those surviving missiles won't arrive in Sol System for days," Barnes pointed out. "Don't worry, we've got…"  
  
"No." Jornam shook his head. "They will not need to use the stargate you are heading toward."  
  
"What do you mean?" asked Zack. "Why not?"  
  
"Because, they already have one," said Jornam. The Darglan's voice was firm, showing his certainty of that statement. "They will use the stargate in the solar system with the Preserve."  
  
Zack looked at him with surprise. "Wait, we didn't read one."  
  
"It is set to remain off. I made it that way centuries ago. But Ardala has reactivated it. And it connects directly to the Earth system's stargate."  
  
"Which means that her missiles will fire directly to Earth's solar system," Meridina said.  
  
"Yes." Jornam's face fell. "She learned enough from my things… from me… that her weapons can destroy all life on your world."  
  
"Unless we stop them," Buck said.  
  
"Yes. Unless you stop them," Jornam agreed.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aurora crew must protect an Earth seeking Alliance membership from a powerful empire.

Robert, Julia, and Ledosh joined Doctor Huer and Wilma in Science Lab 2 to check up on the progress there. The news, however, was not what they had hoped to hear.  
  
"It is quite a difficult problem given our available resources," Theopolis said to them. "Even a complete deployment of our available starfighter squadrons would be incapable of stopping more than one missile given their noted acceleration and defensive capabilities."  
  
"And we don't have the means to build a theater shield large enough and strong enough to block them," added Jarod. "So if they get past us to Earth, there's nthing we can do to prevent a mass casualty event."  
  
Huer nodded. He turned his head toward Robert. "Captain, can the Alliance provide any more ships?"  
  
Robert shook his head. "Admiral Maran's already informed me that reinforcements aren't available. The best he can offer is the _Shenzhou_. She's leaving drydock tomorrow and will jump to join us."  
  
"Regrettably, the Gersallian fleet is also incapable of sending reinforcements for the moment," Ledosh added.  
  
"Let's just hope the _Shenzhou_ isn't a day too late." Julia crossed her arms. "Colonel Deering and I have some ideas on how to support each other in another fight, but if they bring a lot of fighter cover I'm not sure we'll be able to stop multi-..."  
  
Before she could finish Robert's call-received light appeared on his hand. " _Bridge to Dale_ ," said Locarno.  
  
Robert tapped the light over the back of his left hand. "Dale here."  
  
" _The_ Koenig _just came back through the stargate. Commander Carrey wants to see you at the airlock when they get back. He said to bring a medical team and Cat_."  
  
"Did he say why?" Robert wondered just what prompted Zack to make those requests.  
  
" _They found something in Pleiades-24._ "  
  
"Tell him we'll be there, then. Dale out."  
  
"Do you mind if we join you?" Huer asked.  
  
"Not at all." Robert checked the time on his omnitool. "We have some time. Jarod, what about trying…?"

 

 

 

By the time the group from Science Lab 2 arrived at the dock, Leo and a medical team were waiting, complete with anti-grav stretcher, for the arrival of the _Koenig_. They all watched her dock and walked on to the airlock entrance.  
  
When it opened, Zack stepped through with Buck and Lucy behind him. Twiki spoke up immediately. "Biddi-biddi-biddi, nice to see you in one piece, Buck."  
  
"It's nice to be in one piece, Twiki," Buck replied.  
  
"What's going on?" Robert asked him.  
  
Zack gestured toward the airlock. Opani stepped through and stood to the side, allowing Meridina to exit with another humanoid. The tall skull and orange complexion were immediate giveaways. Robert and the others each had a wide-eyed look, with jaws lowered to varying degrees. "It's… it's…" Caterina seemed unable to finish the sentence.  
  
"This is Jornam," said Zack. "He is, was, the caretaker of some ancient nature preserve on Pleiades-24 III that the Draconians looted." He smiled at Caterina. "And he's a Darglan."  
  
"Swenya's Light," Ledosh murmured.  
  
"A Darglan. A _living Darglan_ ," Caterina squeaked.  
  
"Not if we don't get him to the medbay," Leo said, already looking over his medical omnitool. "The cellular degeneration is killing him." Leo motioned to his team. Nasri led a couple of nurses in helping Meridina set Jornam onto the anti-grav stretcher. They departed immediately with Ledosh joining them to help Meridina in her healing attempts.  
  
"A _Darglan_ ," Julia said, her awe echoing Caterina's. "I never… how?"  
  
"He was in a stasis chamber of some kind," Lucy replied. "But the Draconians removed him from it. And not in the correct way."  
  
"This is… this is amazing," Robert said. "If Leo saves him, imagine the things we'll learn."  
  
Lucy produced a spherical container from an internal pocket on her robe. She twisted it just so and the top slid out and then down, revealing the orange Darglan data drive within. "This is supposed to be all of his critical data."  
  
"So this was a Darglan Facility?" Julia frowned. "Or a data center? Do the Draconians have access to the IU drive?"  
  
"It didn't appear to be," said Lucy. "Apparently the nature preserve itself, and the central facility built into the mountain to sustain it, were built by another race. Jornam chose to live there."  
  
"Another ancient race, then?"  
  
"We have scans of the structure. We can look through them later," said Lucy. "But we can tell you it's unlikely the Draconians got IU drive tech or even Darglan weapons technology."  
  
"Okay, let's move from the scientific curiosity from a moment," Zack said, looking to Lucy. She looked back and nodded, and both turned their heads to face Robert and Huer. "Jornam says there's a special stargate in Pleiades-24. One that the Draconians can turn off and on to send out their missiles. And it can lead straight to Earth's stargate."  
  
"A stargate with that kind of distance?" Wilma seemed stunned by it. "Normally that's a two jump distance."  
  
"They can do it in one. We did what we could to their construction yard, but we weren't able to finish off the three completed missiles before a Draconian carrier showed up and we had to retreat."  
  
"Three missiles." Huer drew in a pained breath. "How do we defeat three?"  
  
Julia shook her head. "We need a fleet. Or some way to keep them from getting to Earth. Can we shut down your system's stargate?"  
  
"No," Huer answered. "You can't shut down stargates like that. At least, not to our experience."  
  
"So we can't keep them from coming through. We'll have to fight them and find a way to stop them here."  
  
"What if you reactivated the thermal shield?" Buck asked Huer.  
  
"Thermal shield?" Robert asked.  
  
"Back when they woke me up, Earth had a thermal shield to protect the planet," Buck explained. "It would destroy any craft that approached without the proper codes."  
  
"The shield system was decommissioned," Huer explained. "The Draconians developed countermeasures to thwart it. It could take days to get it back up."  
  
"The tractor satellites have some merit," Julia said. "We know tractors can trigger the destabilized naqia to go off."  
  
"But not quickly enough," Jarod reminded her. "Certainly not with three of the missiles coming after Earth."  
  
"What if there was a way to trigger the same thing with something else?" Julia asked. "Something that would…"  
  
Something in Caterina's mind clicked. Everyone could see the moment of epiphany on her face. When she left at a near-run, they followed.  
  
Science Lab 2 was Caterina's destination. Once she was there she called up the data they had been going over. Calculations filled her mind while her fingers danced over the controls, activating new simulations with new parameters.  
  
The simulations were running when the others entered. "Cat, what is it?" Julia asked.  
  
"Come on… come on… the calculations… _yes_!" Caterina stood up and let out a squee of triumph. "It works! It, I mean, it _will_ work!"  
  
"What will work?" Buck asked.  
  
"I think I understand." Theopolis was studying the simulations. "You would convert the thermal shield generators into a series of graviton pulse emitters."  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"The power demands will be quite high," Theopolis said. "However, Doctor Huer, I believe the Lieutenant is onto something."  
  
"What would this plan do?" Huer asked.  
  
"It would allow us to subject incoming missiles to intense graviton fields, such as used in this vessel's tractor beams," Theopolis answered. "This would cause the Draconian warheads to destabilize and explode."  
  
"Good thinking, Cat," Jarod said. The simulations looked good to him too. "We'll have to do some converting of their existing shield generator stations to make this work."  
  
"Get any operations or engineering personnel you can find that's not essential to Scotty's repairs," Robert ordered. He turned to Huer. "Doctor, we'll help you get the modifications done."  
  
"Thank you, Captain. The Defense Directorate will cooperate fully. I will need to return to New Chicago to oversee the modifications."  
  
"I will see to the necessary modifications for the generator in New Chicago."  
  
"Jarod, Lucy, see if you can help them," Robert said. He could feel the room's feelings pick up. They had a solution, and now they would see about implementing it.  
  
They nodded and joined Huer and Theopolis (and Twiki) in leaving Lab 2. It was clear to everyone just what was on Caterina's mind. "Your simulations will give Jarod and the others what they need," Robert said. "Why don't you head to the medbay?"  
  
As Cat jumped from her seat, Julia added, "But you have to listen to Leo. If he says you have to wait, you wait."  
  
"I will," she vowed.  
  
Once she was gone Zack left as well, stating he was going to return to the _Koenig_ "just in case". Robert and Julia exchanged looks with each other and with Buck and Wilma. "We should go back to New Chicago," said Wilma. "We'll need to have the squadrons ready."  
  
"Of course. And we have work to do as well," Julia said.  
  
With common assent, they all departed.

 

 

 

Leo, as it turned out, was willing to let Caterina visit Jornam in his intensive care room. Meridina and Ledosh were sitting and meditating in the room, using their power to help the Darglan keep his strength up. Caterina stood at the door for a moment, trying to think of what to say, what to ask, of the orange-skinned alien she had never imagined she would ever meet. She felt like every cell in her body would vibrate until she drilled through the deck.  
  
"You are the one they call Caterina?" Jornam asked, as if just now noticing her.  
  
She nodded. "Caterina Delgado. Lieutenant Caterina Delgado, actually. I'm the science officer."  
  
"So I see." A pair of pinkish eyes focused on her. "I can see you have questions."  
  
"Too many. I can't think of one," Cat confessed. She pulled up a chair to sit beside Jornam, taking care to not bump into Meridina as she did. "There's still so much we don't know about your people, and so much I want to learn about, well, about everything."  
  
" _Kestim ram_ ," said Jornam. "That is our term for the state you are in. When you can't figure out what question you want to ask because you want to ask them all, at once, and have them answered together." He gestured to her with his hand. "Feel free to ask, and I will answer while I have the strength to. And please, do record our conversation. My knowledge should be shared with all of your people."  
  
Cat nodded. She moved her left arm and brought up her omnitool interface, which she used to enable the recording option. As she did, one question slipped through the rest and came to her tongue. "So… how did you survive the three thousand years?"  
  
"A cryostasis chamber set to wake me up every century," Jornam replied. "I would check on the preserve and examine the findings from probes I left at other inhabited worlds in this region of space."  
  
"To see how they were developing?" Caterina asked.  
  
"Yes. And, if necessary, to provide what assistance I could."  
  
"Assistance?"  
  
Jornam nodded. "My people did not always agree on the scope, but many of us believed that we should be more than distant observers. Life is a precious gift of Reality, Caterina Delgado, and all beings have a moral obligation to protect it where they can. My people often used our starships and interuniversal drives to relocate endangered species and races to safer worlds where they could thrive."  
  
"Just like…" Cat swallowed. "When we found your technology, we… we would help people, take them from places where they suffered and bring them to another world to live in peace. We called it New Liberty."  
  
"Might I see this world?"  
  
Caterina nodded. With her omnitool she interfaced with the wall monitor in the room and used it to display images of New Liberty Colony. "People from our Earth, from C1P2 Earth, and now from other universes, they all live here together."  
  
The images played, including the last two anniversary celebrations and the recordings Caterina had personally made from them. She looked back to Jornam to see the Darglan was quietly tearing up. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I am happy," he said. "You have used our legacy well, Caterina Delgado. In this New Liberty Colony you made, and in the Alliance you put together… it is everything my people wanted to see."  
  
Seeing Jornam say that, hearing the pride in his voice, made Caterina think of Control. The AI operator of the Darglan Facility had often assured them that his creators would approve of their rescue missions and their conduct. "Is there anything of your technology left in this universe?" she asked Jornam. "Maybe… maybe newer computer hardware?"  
  
"Why do you ask?"  
  
"Because, Control… the Control of our Facility… he is in our databanks on the _Aurora_. But our computers don't have the capacity to let him operate like he's supposed to. His memory and program have to remain heavily compressed and only partially-functional in our auxiliary computer cores."  
  
"A Control? You wish to bring him back?" Jornam smiled sadly. "I am sorry. It is a worthy goal, but I did not have such technology left to me when the others returned home."  
  
"Oh." Caterina nodded, disappointed. "Well…" Something came to her mind then. "Jornam, may I ask you something?"  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Was it you?" Cat asked. "Were you the one who took Humans from this Earth after their nuclear war, to resettle them on other worlds?"  
  
Jornam went quiet for a moment. "Yes," he said. "I did."  
  
"So all of the Human civilizations, even the Draconians, are…"  
  
"No," he said. "Some predated our arrival in this universe. They were transplanted long before we gained the IU drive."  
  
"By who?" Caterina asked.  
  
"An old and powerful empire seeking to preserve other species. They were the ones who built the preserve to protect many old species from a number of worlds. The _timital_ of Yutam, the oronthi, the gutabi bird… even your Earth's wooly mammoth and dodo, among other animals."  
  
Caterina decided she wanted to see this place. But more importantly, she wanted to continue on the topic of the Darglan themselves.  
  
"How many species did you transplant?"  
  
"In the three generations of our interuniversal civilization, we must have performed hundreds of them. Maybe thousands. Sometimes it would be as little as relocating them on their own worlds. Or to other versions of their worlds in a different universe. If deemed necessary, an entirely different world in an entirely different universe was selected, so long as their new environment was close enough to match the one they were familiar with." Jornam drew in a breath. The conversation was becoming an effort, and his ability to continue speaking with groaning in pain was entirely thanks to Meridina and Ledosh helping him. "That was our way."  
  
"Is that why you didn't return to your homeworld?" asked Caterina.  
  
Jornam nodded. "She'teyal was not my home. I was born in the Universe N2S7 to a mission keeping watch over a transplanted species called the Mi'qote."  
  
"The Mi'qote really aren't indigenous to Ys'talla?"  
  
"No, they are not. Their world was suffering a severe catastrophe. So we removed samples of the major sapient species of that world to new homes. My database has some of their locations listed."

Caterina nodded. She would have to consult Lucy's new database as soon as duty and time allowed. "So you stayed with the preservation missions?  
  
"I did," Jornam said. "It was my calling. After the Dimensional Fracture, I volunteered to remain in this universe to observe. And I turned down my people when they were ordered by the First Ones to return to She'teyal and to abandon our interuniversal holdings. This was my place, my calling. I would not abandon it."  
  
"Were you the only one? The only one working here, I mean?"  
  
"Not at first." Jornam shook his head. "I had colleagues. But they elected to return home. Only I desired to stay, and to see if your people or another would one day find my place. I felt it was my duty even though I would miss them greatly."  
  
"I wish it had been someone better than these Draconians," said Cat.  
  
"As do I." Jornam closed his eyes. "I fear that my energy fails me, Caterina Delgado. I do not know how many more questions I might answer."  
  
"Maybe I should go, then," she said. "So you can get your strength back up. Or… would you like to ask me questions? I mean, I'm sure you're curious about what things are like now. About the Alliance, the Multiverse..."  
  
Jornam smiled and laid his head back on the pillow. One of the nurses had specifically replicated one to accommodate his taller skull. "I would enjoy that," he admitted. "I admit that I too have a case of _Kestim ram_."  
  
Caterina couldn't hold back the tears. The weakness in his voice, the way he was laid on the bed… she knew he was dying. That there was likely no hope. She'd seen this before. When the cancer was close to killing her Mama. She sniffled and forced a smile. "Whatever you want to know. I'll tell you."  
  
"Very well… Speak to me, then, of your Alliance. How was it founded? What is its purpose?"  
  
As the tears flowed down her eyes, she told him, and hoped and prayed it would make his final hours better.

 

 

 

Not too far away, Leo and Julia were watching on a monitor. Caterina was busy trying to explain the Alliance Council despite her severe lack of political science understanding.  
  
Julia looked toward Leo and asked, "Is there any hope?"  
  
Leo gave her a look that answered her question. His verbal reply was, "It'd be cruel to give hope." A shake of his head and a sigh later, he added, "If he were Human or another species I'm familiar with, he might have a shot. But our knowledge of Darglan physiology is limited. The cellular damage is… well, it's just too much. I'm sorry. All I'm sure I can do is try to ease his pain and make him comfortable."  
  
"Then how long does he have?"  
  
"I can't tell. He might have an hour, a day, a week. Maybe close to a month if we find a therapy to restore function to his cells. I just can't think of anything that will work enough to bring him back from the brink." Leo smacked his hand on his table. "Damn Draconian butchers. They killed him when they screwed up his waking sequence. That man is living history and they killed him with their impatience and arrogance."  
  
"I doubt they care. Given what Meridina and Lucy have said about this 'Princess Ardala'..." Julia set a hand on his shoulder. "Do whatever you can anyway. We won't give him on him without a fight."  
  
"You know I will," Leo promised.  
  
Julia nodded. She turned to leave.  
  
Her omnitool went off. When she answered, it was Lieutenant Pacetti starting his bridge shift early. " _This is the bridge, we have a situation. Multiple contacts are coming through the system stargate. They're Draconian._ "  
  
Wherever he was, Robert answered just as she started to. " _Go to Code Red. Sound battle stations._ "  
  
Julia started to rush for the door as klaxons started echoing through the _Aurora_.

 

 

 

The generator facility for the old planetary thermal shield reminded Jarod of a power plant with all of its capacitors and emergency fusion reactor backups in similar layouts to turbines and emergency generators. One wall covered in blinking lights was showing off displays of projected power draws and other vital information.  
  
There was a puff of smoke from a solder nearby. "Please be careful, Twiki. These circuit boards are quite rare, and we don't have the time to replace them."  
  
"Get off my back already."  
  
"Twiki, I am not on your…" Theopolis stopped himself. "I do think you have been around Captain Rogers a little too much lately."  
  
Jarod returned to the control panels. As he checked the status of the modified projectors for the system, his omnitool flashed to life. " _The Draconians have arrived_ ," Robert said. " _What's the status on the shield conversion?_ "  
  
Jarod looked up to the panels. "We've almost completed the New Chicago conversion. The others are in various stages of completion. We still need at least four hours to cover the entire planet."  
  
" _They'll be at Earth in one_ ," Robert replied.  
  
Jarod checked the sites' reported completions. "We might have thirty-three percent coverage by then."  
  
" _It will have to be enough then. Standby to beam back._ "  
  
"I'll give you the signal." Jarod lowered his arm and turned his head to face Twiki and Theopolis. "Can you finish the conversion?"  
  
"Biddi-biddi-biddi, no sweat, pal."  
  
"Yes, Commander Jarod, I believe we will," Theopolis replied. "However, a thirty-three percent coverage of Earth will leave dangerous gaps in our defenses."  
  
"I know. But that's the best we can do." Jarod tapped his omnitool again. "Jarod to _Aurora_ , I'm ready."  
  
The transporter whisked him away.

 

 

 

Huer arrived in the flight bay in New Chicago to find every available pilot was present. Buck and Wilma were standing beside a wheeled in transparent board with combat maneuvers drawn on them. "...must remember to focus your fire," Wilma was explaining. "The Hatchet fighters have been configured with protective shield systems that can absorb multiple direct hits from individual fighters." A hand went up. "Yes, Major Danton?"  
  
The curly-haired man in the front row asked, "Can't we do the same thing, then?"  
  
"Unfortunately not," Huer said, joining the conversation. "The Thunderfighter will have to be re-designed to make use of shield systems. That process is still in the planning stages. The Defense Directorate had no idea of the Draconian modifications, unfortunately."  
  
Danton and his pilots nodded.  
  
"Commander Andreys and Commander Laurent will be directing the Alliance fighters to keeping the Hatchets off of us," Wilma continued. "Their Mongoose fighters are more maneuverable than the Hatchets. Work with them whenever you can. We'll be operating on a common frequency."  
  
There were nods from the assembled.  
  
"The Draconians are still nearly an hour out," Huer said. "As such, we're launching now."  
  
The assembled pilots stood and dispersed. Huer watched them go before turning his head toward Wilma and Buck. "Good luck to you both."  
  
"Thank you, sir," Wilma said. Buck nodded in agreement, and then they departed as well.  
  
Huer stood and watched. Briefly he recalled his younger days flying for Earth. But it was not his place anymore. All he could do was watch and hope.

 

 

 

Jarod was the last of the command crew to arrive on the bridge of the _Aurora_. Lieutenant Jupap, an Alakin, quickly changed his position to an auxiliary console along the rear of the bridge to let Jarod reassume his station.  
  
Caterina turned from her sensor station. "They're going to be in range of Earth in forty-five minutes."  
  
Robert nodded. "I don't see any point in waiting for them to get close. Set an intercept course, full impulse."  
  
"Yes sir," Locarno answered.  
  
"The _Koenig_ is following," added Jarod. As he received more information he added, "The Earth squadrons are forming up to join us."  
  
Robert looked to Julia, who nodded and brought up her tactical display. "I'll coordinate our efforts with theirs."  
  
"And I'll focus on our maneuvers." Robert keyed his intercom. "Mister Scott, how are the impulsors?"  
  
" _All repairs are complete, Cap'n,_ " was the reply. " _Ye've got full impulse power with nae problems._ "  
  
"And it hasn't even been thirty hours yet. Another miracle for you. We may have to submit your name for sainthood."  
  
" _Thank ye, sir. But I'm satisfied with what I'vve got. Engineering out._ "  
  
Once the line was cut Robert looked to the holo-viewer and counted down the minutes until they intercepted.

 

 

 

In the medbay Meridina and Ledosh could feel the tension of combat readiness in the crew. The two Gersallians kept their focus on the Darglan patient on the bed between them. Concern filled Meridina at the clear ebbing of Jornam's life.  
  
_Is there nothing more we can do?_ she asked her old teacher.  
  
_Yes_ was his response.  
  
A low tone filled the room. With focus Meridina ignored it. That focus was still broken, despite her efforts, when the door opened and feet began to thump. She looked up and opened her eyes to see Leo and several nurses. "His vitals are failing," one of the nurses said. "What do we do?"  
  
Leo looked over the readings and sighed. "I don't think there's anything we can do. Still… prep the cortical stimulators."  
  
Nasri's expression betrayed her concern. "But, do you know how to set it for a Darglan?"  
  
"I'll have to go by the scan results when we brought him in," was Leo's answer. "It's better than nothing."

 

 

 

On the _Aurora_ bridge holo-viewscreen, the Draconian warship was now visible, flying above the three missiles, each over half the length of the _Aurora_. The ship was colored a dark brown tone. Its ship was vaguely similar to Klingon ships, at least if you counted the prow, although a higher deck was also attached to the main body. Defense weapons were visible at several points, but there was no sign of truly capital-scale emplacements. He wondered if that would hold up during the fight to come.  
  
First, of course, was a perfunctory gesture. "Hail them, Jarod.'  
  
There was a moment of silence before Jarod confirmed the signal was being answered. The viewer changed to show a beautiful woman with long, well-kept brown hair and clothing that made Robert think of Las Vegas more than militant empires. An austere uniformed man stood beside her. "I'm Captain Robert Dale of the Alliance…"  
  
" _We know who you are, Captain_ ," the man said. " _This is Princess Ardala of the Imperial House of Dracon._ "  
  
" _I shall speak for myself, Kane_ ," snapped the woman, who glared toward hier compatriot. " _As stated, I am Princess Ardala. I will make this quick, Captain. Earth has become a threat to the Draconian Empire, and I have come to remove that threat. I demand Earth's immediate surrender to the Empire or I will have it destroyed._ "  
  
"Earth is under the protection of the United Alliance of Systems," Robert replied. "I insist you withdraw or we will engage you."  
  
" _Do you think the Empire fears your Alliance? You are trapped in war with another power already. You would not dare to strike at us._ "  
  
"If you destroy a potential member under our protection, we'll have to." Robert leaned forward in his chair. "Last chance, Ardala. WIthdraw."  
  
Ardala fumed at them and shook her head to someone off the screen. The viewer switched back to the view of the ships.  
  
"They're still moving forward."  
  
"Target the nearest craft."  
  
"Targeting now," Angel confirmed.  
  
Robert nodded. "Fire when ready.  
  
The _Aurora_ 's weapons blazed to life, targeting the lead missile. In one full salvo four of the _Aurora_ s squadrons fired torpedoes at the lead missile. There was barely enough space for the volume of firepower that converged on the missile. Its powerful deflectors absorbed the barrage with mixed success.  
  
"Hatchet fighters coming in," Jarod warned.  
  
" _We're on them_ ," Wilma Deering said over the bridge speaker.  
  
The Earth fighters and _Aurora_ fighters accelerated ahead in several organized squadrons. The space ahead of the _Aurora_ soon filled with both kinds of fighters.  
  
"Opening fire on the missile again," said Angel. The _Aurora_ 's weapons tore into it once more. This time the _Koenig_ , clear of the enemy fighters, engaged the missile as well. Sapphire and amber energy washed over its straining deflector screens, joined by the particular blue-white fields of active solar torpedoes.  
  
"Some of the Hatchet fighters are getting clear of the dogfight," Jarod said. "They're firing missiles."  
  
"Nick, evasives!"  
  
The _Aurora_ twisted in space. Beams of phaser fire struck out in rapid succession toward the incoming projectiles. One by one explosions flowered from destroyed missiles.  
  
Only two made impact on the _Aurora_ 's shields. They still caused the ship to shudder from the feedback on the deflectors. "Deflectors down to seventy-one percent," said Jarod.  
  
"Fox Squadron has adjusted, they're engaging the enemy fighters."  
  
"Keep us on that missile," Robert ordered.

 

 

 

In the medbay, Meridina and Ledosh remained with Jornam, who had been transferred to the OR in lieu of any other appropriate ward for his condition. Leo and Lumenaram continued to discuss his condition. "Replication of his organs is a slow process," Lumenaram said. "The cellular damage is forcing the systems to adjust. And there is no guarantee they will function as needed, or that he will survive the surgery to implant them."  
  
"I know. But we owe it to him to give him every fighting chance," Leo insisted. He was now in operation scrubs should they have to make any invasive procedures. "Do we have any good ideas on a cellular repair treatment?"  
  
"Few. THe time limit is simply too small…"  
  
There was a low, hoarse breath. Jornam stirred on the table, drawing their attention. Both doctors attended to him. "Can you hear us?"  
  
Jornam nodded. "Please… your telepath. I have… something to share… too weak…"  
  
Meridina heard him. Her face remained a stoic mask even if her heart was pleading to Leo on the matter. Leo gave the matter two moments of thought before he nodded.  
  
Meridina stepped up to the bed. _I am here_ , she thought, projecting that thought into the Darglan's mind.  
  
Jornam reacted slowly. He was in pain dulled by the increasing failure of all aspects of his body, including the nerves. But once he reacted Meridina felt their minds connect. Images of his past filled her. Knowledge. Names. His mate, Keluz, had died in the war with the Darkness. His parents. friends, all were dead, forcefully returned to She'tayel. But he had left them willingly to become caretaker. Images of the Preserve flashed through Meridina's mind. And of a ship. Of Humans climbing into his vessel amid a ruined city. A virgin world with new fields growing.  
  
With the memories of Jornam, Meridina felt closer to the ancient being. She could feel his happiness at meeting them and seeing the legacy of his species carried on. His regrets at not seeing more of the Multiverse now that it was again open. Sadness that his people were gone.  
  
A stray thought came through his mind. Meridina saw a world. Darglan structures. Entire Darglan working around an interuniversal jump drive, taking measurements, making modifications. Improvements. New layers of existence to be accessed.  
  
_No!_ The cry was Jornam's. A feeling of shame. _It was error. Our error. Forget this!  
  
What did you do?  
  
Our curiosity went too far. We should have heeded them. We should have listened! It was our fault!_  
  
Another stray memory. A world consumed by a hungry void. Space twisting as if in pain. And a shape, a large shape, many shapes, emerging from the void, their forms wavering with life, black enough to blot stars.  
  
_No! No! Not these! Not them!_  
  
Meridina felt horror and knew that Jornam suffered. Whatever her own curiosity, she steered his mind away. She opened her own memories. She showed him images of the Great Temple of the Order of Swenya, of Jantarihal. She recalled the Citadel of M4P2, _Babylon-5_ in his species' home universe. Other beautiful things. Things that made her happy. Her family. _Mastrash_ Ledosh, her teacher and mentor. Her comrades on the _Aurora_. Lucy, her first student, who had accomplished so much in such a fairly short time. Brave, smart, passionate and with a good heart. Robert, equally brave, determined, ready to sacrifice.  
  
She felt his mind make connections and swing back to happier thoughts. Words and singing filled the connection between them. _Thank you_.  
  
And then his thoughts ceased. Meridina opened her eyes and found Ledosh was pulling her away from Jornam, as warning tones sounded. "Ready cortical stimulators!" Leo shouted.

 

 

 

Outside of the _Aurora_ , the battle between the groups of fighters continued. Wilma Deering maneuvered her Thunderfighter with skill, evading fire from two Hatchet fighters coming up behind her. She pulled the fighter into a loop and twisted its orientation into space, a maneuver at the very edge of the envelope of the craft's capabilities. More fire zipped past her while her maneuver brought a Hatchet into her gunsights. With a press of her thumb triigger the eight laser cannons on her fighter opened up. Pale blue light pulsed through the void. The deflectors of a Hatchet fighter lit up briefly. But the craft had already been damaged. The deflectors failed and her target blew up.  
  
" _Colonel, fighter on your five o'clock low_ ," warned another pilot. She triggered her Thunderfighter's engines to full and evaded the fire. She finished her corkscrew maneuver.  
  
But her sensors still showed an opponent firing on her. "I'm having trouble shaking this one," she said.  
  
" _We're on him_."  
  
Buck's voice was joined by Major Danton's. Their fighters moved in from different angles and opened up on the Hatchet. It exploded spectacularly as soon as the shields failed.  
  
"Thanks, Buck, Major Danton." Wilma noticed the fighter showing up on her screens and pulled her fighter's nose up. This let her intercept a Hatchet firing on Buck. She opened up with her weapons. Deflectors met her direct hits, but it did scare the enemy pilot off his run against Buck.  
  
" _Thanks, Wilma_ ," Buck said.  
  
" _Colonel Deering, this is Brigadier Gordon_. _I'm leading my squadron on an attack run against the Draconian carrier ship. Do you think you can handle the remaining fighters?_ "  
  
Wilma considered her screens for a moment. "Roger that, Brigadier. You're clear."  
  
" _Lieutenant Krlkt here_ ," chirped an alien voice. " _Bravo Squadron will protect your six on your attack run_."  
  
" _We welcome the assistance, Lieutenant_ ," Gordon answered.

 

 

Princess Ardala watched the enemy fighters swoop in on her command ship. The protective screen of Hatchet fighters, eight strong, moved to intercept them. But they were outnumbered three to one. The Alliance Mongoose fighters raced ahead of the Earth Thunderfighters and engaged the Hatchets. One blew apart from being targeted by three enemy ships and the others scattered to avoid being picked apart. The resulting gap was more than wide enough for the Earth fighters. "Fire all defense guns," Ardala ordered.  
  
"Tracking… engaging."  
  
The _Dragon's Flame_ carried several laser cannon turrets for anti-fighter defense, supported by particle flak cannons that generated damaging particle busts. Both of these weapon systems opened up on the approaching Earth fighters. They retaliated with missiles and their own fire. The ship began to shake under Ardala's feet. Her screen showed an occasional burst of flame and light from a destroyed fighter. But for her, it was not nearly enough. "The enemy is engaging our defense weapons," an officer stated. "We've already lost two flak emplacements."  
  
"Should we recall our fighters?" asked another.  
  
"If we do, they will destroy our missiles." Ardala quietly pondered their situation.  
  
"The new deflectors, Princess," Kane suggested. "They are not as good as those we placed on the missiles, but they can protect us from these enemy fighters."  
  
"Very well. Raise the deflectors." She faced the officer overseeing the missile tracks. "Do the missiles have a firm course for Earth?"  
  
"They do, Highness. The lead missile's shields are down to one third power, however."  
  
"Then activate the terminal stage thrusters on the missiles. I will leave nothing to chance."  
  
"Yes, Highness." The officer did as commanded, hoping that the fuel tanks on those engines would hold out.

 

 

 

 

While the fighter battle continued, the _Aurora_ and _Koenig_ were still unloading on the missiles. "Missile shields now at thirty percent," Angel said. "I'm giving it everything I can."  
  
"At this rate we'll finish off this missile and start on the next by the time they get to Earth," Caterina added.  
  
"Any news on their readiness planetside?" Robert asked.  
  
"Twenty-five percent coverage, and New Chicago's is still offline."  
  
"Keep firing, then, and let's see if…"  
  
On the screen the rear portions of the missiles lit up. "They're activating additional sublight drives!" Cat shouted.  
  
"Keep us up with them!" Robert gripped the chair arms. "What's their new ETA?"  
  
"Five minutes for the first missile to enter Earth's atmosphere. Three minutes until it reaches optimum engagement range for our graviton pulse generators."  
  
"Is there coverage for it?"  
  
Jarod checked his calculations, after which he shook his head. "No. It's going to be in the New Chicago engagement range." Jarod tapped a key on his board. "Jarod to New Chicago shield generator. Doctor Theopolis, are you there?"  
  
" _I am here. We are finishing final adjustments. Everything should be ready within three minutes._ "  
  
"Good," Jarod answered. "Because that's when you need to activate it."

 

 

The Hatchets' numbers had thinned enough that Buck had no distractions keeping him from overhearing what was being said about the missiles. "Wilma, we may need to help with those missiles."  
  
" _I'm not sure what we can do to help, Buck. But just in case, take the 27th Squadron out of New Amritsar_."  
  
"I hear you."  
  
An accented female voice said, " _This is Major Kaur. Orders confirmed_."  
  
Buck broke his fighter away from the fight and hit the engines to full speed, and then beyond. "Whatever else happens, we've got to stop those missiles," he said over the radio.  
  
" _We are ready_ ," was the only reply.

 

 

 

Theopolis checked on the tracking for the incoming missiles and concurred with Jarod's statement. "Oh dear," said Theopolis. "We must hurry, Twiki."  
  
Twiki's response was what one would expect from the one doing all of the work. "Biddi-biddi-biddi, you can't rush perfection, Doc."  
  
"I do regret that I lack the arms to assist."  
  
"I'd pay real money to see that."  
  
Theopolis ignored Twiki's continued use of Buck's colorful 20th Century language and kept his calculations on the work still to be done and the time left. He wished Twiki could be faster. But ambuquads did have some limits in their forms, and he was doing quite a good job.  
  
They were in the last twenty seconds of their allotted time when Twiki rose up from where he was working. "Biddi-biddi-biddi, that ought to do it."  
  
"Then activate the graviton generator, Twiki. Defense control will take over."  
  
"Roger." Twiki's metallic hand tapped the final key.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
This, as one could imagine, highly concerned Theopolis. "Oh dear, Twiki. We only have ten seconds…"  
  
"I'll do what Buck would do," Twiki announced.  
  
"And that would be?"  
  
Theopolis needn't have bothered. Just as he finished his question, Twiki's hand struck the control panel.  
  
"Twiki, I doubt hitting things will…"  
  
The generator lights lit up in rapid sequence.  
  
"See, Doc?" Twiki asked. "Always count on Buck."  
  
"How interesting that it worked," was the only reply Theopolis could think of. And given his calculating power and expansive computer brain, that was quite the indicator of how flummoxed he was.

 

 

 

Robert was holding his breath when the missile entered the engagement range according to Jarod. If their plan worked, they still had a shot at saving Earth. If it hadn't…  
  
Blue light shot up from the surface of North America and struck the Draconian missile directly. The missile suddenly lost its forward movement.  
  
"There we go," he said. "Angel, keep up the pressure."

 

 

 

Ardala was also observing, but felt entirely differently for obvious reasons. "What is that?" she demanded. "The Earth doesn't have defenses like that!"  
  
"They may have modified their own thermal shield system," Kane proposed. "And our other missiles will soon be caught."  
  
"Divert them!"  
  
"I can only divert the third," the Draconian officer controlling them said. "I've re-assigned its target. The second missile is already entering the same range of effect and is slowing."  
  
Ardala was not satisfied by the idea of just one out of three hitting. But that was better than none. And with her ship occasionally shaking from the damage it was taking against the Earth and Alliance starfighter attacks, it was time to go, before their half-powered deflector systems were overwhelmed. "Bring us back around to the stargate," she ordered. "It is time we left."  
  
"Coming about."

 

 

 

"It looks like the Draconian flagship is withdrawing," Caterina reported. "They're on a course back to the stargate."  
  
Robert nodded. "Jarod, are those missiles going to engage the same generator?"  
  
As Robert asked that, the second missile joined the first in the grip of the blue beam from Earth. The third, however, was pulling away. "It looks like they're moving it to a different target. We've got to pull it into position for one of the other generators."  
  
"Firing tractor beam." As soon as Jarod did so the _Aurora_ began to shudder. "I'm reinforcing the tractor beam now. But we're going to burn out the impulse drives again at this rate."  
  
"We don't have to divert it all the way from Earth this time," Julia pointed out. "Just into range of another active generator."  
  
"Go for Northern Asia, the Siberia generator is online," Jarod recommended.  
  
"Moving us over now," said Locarno.  
  
The _Aurora_ 's engines wrestled with those on the missile, which was trying to angle and turn back toward Earth. "Strain on the impulsors and tractor beams is increasing."  
  
"It looks like the engineering crew's going to be repairing our impulsors again," Robert replied. "Keep it up." The deck was already shuddering from the strain.  
  
As before the _Koenig_ moved in and grabbed the missile with its tractor beam to assist with moving it. The small ship couldn't contribute much, but she was overpowered enough to contribute something, and that was the important part.  
  
"We're getting a warning sign from the surface," Jarod said. "The New Chicago generator is overheating."  
  
"Probably from holding two missiles at once," Robert mused. "Cat, any idea on when those missiles will go boom?"  
  
"There are too many possible variables. I can only guarantee it shouldn't take more than five minutes for the destabilized naqia to react to the gravitons."  
  
Robert's response was to nod and wait quietly, and with strained patience, for something to happen.  
  
The first thing that happened was that a ribbon of blue light shot up from the region of Lake Irkutsk and snatched the missile they were dragging. The _Aurora_ and _Koenig_ were freed to pull away.  
  
The second was that the lead missile went up in a bright flash. A crackle of blue light covered the second missile during the flash. "One missile down!" Jarod declared. "And the other one lost most of its deflectors to the blast."  
  
"Angel, take it down," Robert ordered, even if it seemed unnecessary after a moment's thought. Either way, it didn't hurt anything to have the _Aurora_ pounding away at what was left of the missile's deflectors.  
  
Robert allowed himself a moment of belief that it was all over. Just a moment. A part of him knew it wouldn't be that easy in the end.  
  
And, of course, it wasn't.  
  
The blue ribbon holding the missile in place wavered suddenly. "Jarod?" Julia asked, worry in her voice.  
  
Jarod was already examining what was going on. "It looks like the strain of holding both missiles overheated the graviton emitters. They've been degraded by the heat damage and are having trouble holding that last missile."  
  
"Angel, give it everything we have," Robert said.  
  
She delivered, throwing all of her firepower at the missile's failing deflectors. Angel immediately stated the results of her efforts. "The missile's shields are down to ten percent. Just a few more hits…"  
  
The blue beam flickered out of existence.  
  
"Jarod to Theopolis, what just happened?"  
  
" _The graviton emitters have shut down due to strain and heat damage. We will not be able to restore the beam for several minutes_."  
  
On the screen the missile was already picking up speed again. Robert shouted, "Cat, status on the naqia in that missile!"  
  
"Signs of complete destabilization, but not enough yet." Caterina checked her figures. "We need to hit the warhead with everything."  
  
"Jarod, get our tractors on it, now! Angel…"

"Firing everything."  
  
The pulse plasma cannons on the _Aurora_ , joined by the other weapon systems, continued to hammer away at the missile. A tractor beam linked it as well, but the range and the power of the missile's boosted drives were making the effort an ineffectual strain on the _Aurora_. "The shields are almost down," Angel said. "We're getting bleedthrough damage."  
  
"Tractor emitters are already stressed, we're putting them over the redline," Jarod added.  
  
"Keep them up as long as we can," Robert urged. "Are there any fighters in range?"  
  
Julia was about to say no when a check at her display confirmed that there were indeed fighters coming in. "Earth Thunderfighters, they're entering range."  
  
" _Buck to_ Aurora," a now-familiar voice said. " _Looks like we got back just in time._ "  
  
Robert didn't dare grin, not until the missiles were gone. "Focus fire on the missile's warhead. If we can finish destabilizing the material in the warhead it'll go off."  
  
The Earth fighters moved in for the attack… and the _Aurora_ 's tractor systems gave out. "Stress failure in the graviton generators," Jarod said. "We've lost tractor beams for the moment."  
  
"Dammit."

As Robert uttered that curse - and thought of many nastier ones - the missile began its deadly course to Earth once again. It likely wouldn't hit New Chicago directly, but with its payload any hit would be catastrophic to Earth. It had to be stopped.  
  
The _Aurora_ , _Koenig_ , and Buck's fighters were certainly making the attempt. The deflectors on their target failed completely and every hit now registered on the dark hull of the missile. Flame and debris gouted from the wounds being carved into it. Torpedoes slammed into the missile's sides.  
  
But it still kept going.  
  
"I'm targeting the engines too," Angel said. "It looks like we're slowing it down."  
  
"You're just slowing the acceleration, it's got enough speed to hit Earth," Jarod corrected. "We need to destabilize the warhead."  
  
"Well, I'm hitting it with as much as I can, but I'm trying not to hit the others too," Angel pointed out. "And the warhead's got some thick armor protecting it."  
  
"Yeah. Wait." Caterina was examining her sensor returns carefully, even though every instinct was to rush. They were down to just three minutes, maybe less, until the missile would be too close. As she focused on the scan a small smile crossed her face. "There's a weak point. It's a small one, it's right behind the forward stabilizing fin on the nearside to us. A gap in the armoring. If we hit it directly, head on, I think the shots would get to the warhead." Caterina relayed the data to Angel.  
  
Angel looked at it. She cursed under her breath. "At this range and angle, I'm not sure I can hit it. But I'm going to try."  
  
"Relay it to the fighters," Robert said. "They might get a better shot."  
  
"I'm sending the data now," said Jarod.  
  
" _Targeting point received_ , Aurora," Buck said. " _We're going in_."  
  
Even as the _Aurora_ did its level best to blast the missile apart - now restrained to avoid hitting the Earth fighters - Buck and the other fighters went in on an attack run. One by one the Thunderfighters poured their lasers into the weak point. Some hits were off, scoring armor instead. Others, though, were not.  
  
As the fighters peeled away from the run, and the clock ticked down further, Robert looked anxiously to Caterina. "Cat?"  
  
"I'm definitely picking up signs of instability, one more run should do it!"  
  
" _Roger that_." The Earthfighters made the maneuver and repeated their attack run.  
  
Still nothing.  
  
"The missile will enter the upper atmosphere in sixty seconds," Jarod warned. "We're almost out of time."

 

 

 

Buck heard Jarod's news and looped his fighter back around. He did the calculations in his head. They could make another pass, but only one, and if it didn't work, Earth would take the hit.  
  
On the other hand, if he made a slow pass by himself and matched velocities, he could get in all of the fire he needed to.  
  
"I'm going in alone," Buck said. "Everyone else hang back. When this thing goes, you don't want to be near it."  
  
" _Rogers, what are you doing?_ " asked Robert.  
  
"Matching velocities with the missile," Buck explained. He was coming back up on the target area. The Dakotas loomed ahead beyond the missile. His systems confirmed he only had thirty-six seconds and counting before they hit atmosphere.  
  
With his crosshairs spit over the weak point, Buck opened fire.  
  
Laser fire poured into the small chunk in the warhead's protective armor.  
  
" _Buck, what are you doing?_ " It was Wilma. " _If you don't pick up velocity, you won't get away fast enough_."  
  
"I know what I'm doing, Wilma," he replied. Twenty seconds.  
  
More fire.  
  
Fifteen.  
  
Buck adjusted his heading slightly, keeping his laser cannons on target by doing so.  
  
Ten seconds.  
  
As he approached seven seconds, he heard Caterina Delgado's voice yell, "Instability peaking! It's going up!"  
  
Buck fired off a last volley and hit his engines to beyond full.  
  
And then light consumed everything.

 

 

 

The Draconian missile exploded in a brilliant burst of light. The _Aurora_ tremored slightly when the energy from the detonation hit. "Report."  
  
"Shields holding," Jarod answered.  
  
"And Earth…?"  
  
"The blast was still outside the atmosphere." Caterina looked over her instruments. "Local satellites are gone. It looks like the energy from the detonation was insufficient to to severe damage on the surface. Just a few fires in the Rockies."  
  
Tension seeped out of the bridge with that news. Robert let out a sigh. The Earth of N2C5 was safe. "And the battle?"  
  
"The Draconians are withdrawing. Their fighters are breaking away from the fight," Julia answered. "Do you want to pursue?"  
  
Robert was ready to say yes. But he had a larger concern for the moment. "What happened to those Earth fighters?"  
  
"They're reporting in." Julia checked her display. "They've all suffered damage but they're intact. Wait…" She double-checked the display on the fighters. "I'm not picking up Captain Rogers' fighter."  
  
"He was breaking away too late," Jarod said. "There might not be anything left."  
  
"Captain Rogers, this is the _Aurora_ , please respond," Robert said.  
  
There was no answer.  
  
Another voice came over the tactical channel. " _Buck. Buck, it's Wilma. Respond, please_."  
  
For several seconds there was nothing. Just long enough for those on the bridge to consider the likely outcome. Robert closed his eyes and tried to focus, to sense if he could…  
  
" _Rog… -_ rora. _Pl… -spond_."  
  
"It's him," Jarod said. "I'm getting the IFF code on the subchannel."  
  
"I'm scanning now." Caterina looked over her screens. "I've got his fighter on sensors. There's no power and he's lost all drives."  
  
" _S… -gain. Rogers… respond_."  
  
"And his radio is probably badly damaged," Cat added. "We need to get his fighter secured, Earth's gravity is pulling him in. And beaming him out would probably be nice."  
  
"I'm relaying the order to the Transporters now," Jarod confirmed.  
  
"So what do we do about the Draconians?" Angel asked. "We can intercept them before they get back to the stargate."  
  
Robert nearly gave the order, but he held off for the moment. "Put me through to Huer, Jarod."  
  
"Opening channel now… Doctor Huer is responding."  
  
Huer's face appeared on the holo-viewscreen. He was clearly recovering from just how close a thing this fight had been. " _Huer here. Congratulations, Captain. I hear you've found Captain Rogers?_ "  
  
"We're beaming him aboard now, Doctor," Robert said, grinning. "He's going to be okay."  
  
" _That is a relief_." Huer's face made that clear too. " _Did you need something?_ "  
  
"We can intercept Ardala's ship before it makes it to the stargate, Doctor. If you want us to, we'll make the intercept."  
  
Huer immediately shook his head. " _No. No, it's safer, and smarter, to let her go."_  
  
"Even with all of the deaths she's caused?" Angel asked bluntly.  
  
Huer's posture was relaxed now. He showed no impatience when he answered Angel. " _As things stand, the Draconians have been beaten, but they won't retaliate. They made an effort, we beat them, and while their honor's been bruised, it's not lost. But if you kill or capture Ardala, the Draconian Emperor won't be able to tolerate such a loss of face. He'll declare war on all of us to avenge her. And we've had enough fighting for now._ "  
  
Robert gave a single nod of his head in acceptance. It was a smart decision. Earth clearly needed more time to build up its defenses, and the Alliance was still at war with the Reich. The Draconians were a problem for later. "Very well. I'll recall our fighters and stand down."  
  
" _I thank you again, Captain. You and your crew. Earth wouldn't be here today if not for your efforts._ "  
  
"We all pitched in, Doctor," Robert answered with a smile. The running lights were already set back to Green and the _Aurora_ crew was standing down from battle stations. "We're at your disposal for a final debriefing, sir."  
  
" _Give us a few hours, Captain, and I'll be ready to meet with you. Huer out._ "  
  
Huer's image disappeared from the screen. All that was left was the Earth; an Earth that had suffered terribly, but which still bore life and could be brought back to its full glory with effort. Robert didn't let himself think what it would look like if any of the Draconian missiles had hit. "I'm going to file a report with Maran," he said. "But first…"  
  
There was a tone over the speakers. " _Medbay to Bridge_ ," said Leo.

Robert tapped the comm key on his chair. "Bridge here. Go ahead, Leo."  
  
" _I'm sorry. Our new Darglan friend… he didn't make it. Jornam's dead._ "  
  
Given what had been said before, this wasn't a harsh surprise. But it didn't stop Robert from feeling tremendous loss. Jornam was, as far as he knew, the last of his species. The knowledge of who the Darglan were, of their culture and society and history, he could have provided them with all of that. With explanations beyond what had been recovered from various Darglan databases.  
  
But now… now he wouldn't. Now it was all lost, due to the short-sighted greed of the Draconians. Robert wished he could seize Princess Ardala and make her pay for what she'd done.  
  
Caterina was weeping bitterly at her station. Angel, at Robert's nod of acceptance, walked over to comfort her. "Thank you for telling us, Leo," Robert said. "I know you did what you could."  
  
" _Not that there was much to do._ " There was a pause. " _We didn't take heavy casualties, so I'm free for whatever final staff meeting we're holding over this._ "  
  
"I'll let you know when Huer tells us a time, Leo. Bridge out." With that done, Robert stood up. "I'll be in my ready office, everyone. Julia, you have the bridge."

 

 

 

There was silence on the bridge of Ardala's ship. It was not an easy silence, but one positively humming with imminent danger. The officers refused to look toward their princess for fear of earning her wrath.  
  
"Curse the Alliance," Ardala said. "Buck Rogers alone was a dangerous foe, but he was just one man. He posed no threat to the Empire. But the Alliance… they are a threat to us. They're a threat to everything we are."  
  
Kane nodded in agreement. "The Emperor can find little fault in your operation, Princess. But I suggest you may wish to give him time to accept this outcome before you return to the Throneworld."  
  
Ardala's only reply was an angry glare. Kane was right, of course, and she hated it. She couldn't face her father with this defeat fresh. "Let us return to our base and collect our survivors," she said. "Holding the world will not be possible for now."  
  
"We could always destroy that preserve, if you wish," Kane said.

After flirting with the temptation, Ardala shook her head. "No, darling Kane. I will not. That would be unseemly. My father would be even more angry at me for destroying something priceless like a brat. We will withdraw and leave it as it is. After all, we can always come back. When the time is right…"

 


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Aurora crew must protect an Earth seeking Alliance membership from a powerful empire.

_Ship's Log: ASV Aurora; 26 September 2642. Captain Robert Dale recording. The Draconians have withdrawn completely from Earth's solar system and show no signs of returning. Our casualties were light this time, at least in total numbers. Twenty lost pilots and crew is a blow to our fighter group, however, and the others will be feeling those losses keenly.  
  
I am also saddened to log the death of Jonram, the Darglan caretaker of the alien-made preserve on Pleiades-24 III. The entire Alliance will know the loss whenever we consider how much we might have learned about his remarkable people, whom we owe so much to.  
  
Despite these losses, we can be satisfied with the survival of billions on Earth that the Draconians would have killed with their attack. The Earth of N2C5 is on track to join the Alliance, and it is always possible their allies will join as well. And we will all benefit._  
  
  
Huer returned to the _Aurora_ with Wilma, Theopolis (and thus Twiki), and Buck. They had agreed to have a last meeting with the _Aurora_ crew on a new subject. They were meeting in Conference Room 1 again to accommodate all of the visitors with the command crews of the _Aurora_ and _Koenig_ with Ledosh, Gina, and Emissary Yadin. At Robert's request, Caterina played her conversation with Jonram. "Extraordinary," said Huer. "There have been theories, of course. But to actually have confirmation that Humanity was spread through our region of the galaxy by alien intervention…"  
  
"The Computer Council will go through our records to see what may or may not have been recorded on this population transfer," said Theopolis. "Perhaps it is possible that Jonram aided our creation in some fashion. If so, we are further indebted to his memory."  
  
"I wonder if he's happier," Buck said, quietly. "He's not alone any more."  
  
"Perhaps. But it is a loss, Captain Rogers." Meridina appraised him with sad eyes. "Jonram still had a place. He had hope of making new bonds with other beings, and of seeing the fruits of his millennia of labors."  
  
"Not to mention having the Multiverse open again," Caterina added. Her eyes were slightly reddened from crying. "He was so eager to learn more about it."  
  
"Did he have any wishes?" asked Yadin. "Do we know anything about Darglan funeral rites?"  
  
"Sadly, we do not." Meridina shook her head. "But he did inform me that by his time, many Darglan born away from their homeworld preferred to have their remains launched into a star."  
  
"That makes sense," Caterina said. "Stars are the furnaces that create most of the chemical elements in the Multiverse, including those that make life possible." Tears were forming again in her eyes. "The elements that make up the Darglan body, any body, would be returned to their source, and inevitably be spread back into the universe at large."  
  
"I see," Huer said. "Then, we would be happy to have his remains sent into our Sun."  
  
"And given that this ship's foundation frame was built by the Darglan, it is fitting that it be the launching point for Jornam's remains into Sol," Ledosh proposed.  
  
"We can't say no to that," Robert said. "Doctor Huer, since we were talking about a joint ceremony for our dead…"  
  
"...we have no objection to Jornam joining them," Huer finished for Robert. "He saved us from our own mistakes, and he helped to save us from the Draconians."  
  
"Very well. I'm still waiting for official word from Defense Command on which of our casualties' remains are being claimed by family, and which are to be given a burial in space. When I do, we'll schedule the ceremony."  
  
"Of course."  
  
"What about this alien preserve on Pleiades-24 III?" asked Wilma. "We can't leave it to them."  
  
Robert responded with a grin. "Yes, well, once I let Admiral Maran know we had no problems here for the moment, he redirected the _Shenzhou_ and the _Armstrong_ to that system. I spoke with Captain Chung this morning and she's confirmed the Draconians are pulling out of the system. Princess Ardala's ship is keeping its distance for the moment."  
  
"Yeah, well, I don't blame her," Zack said. "Ming's a conservationist, and with two _Discovery_ -class starships with her… I wouldn't want to face those odds with a carrier."  
  
"Once they've ensured the Draconians are gone, Ming and Captain Lojin will send science teams down to begin examining the preserve," added Julia. "Earth scientists will be invited to join them once it's safe."  
  
"Thank you, I'll let the Science Directorate know." Huer rose from his chair. "I believe that covers everything. Again, on behalf of the people of the Earth and our fellow planets, we thank you for your help in this manner. Your bravery and resourcefulness have confirmed the wisdom of our decision to join the Alliance."  
  
"Thank you, Doctor Huer," Robert replied. "If that's all…?"  
  
Nobody reacted.  
  
"...then this meeting is adjourned. You're all dismissed."  
  
Everyone started to file out. After exchanging looks with Meridina and Lucy, Robert made sure to get to the door. When Buck got to it he asked, "A moment or two of your time, Captain Rogers?"  
  
Buck showed curiosity at Robert's request and nodded. "Alright."  
  
Robert led Buck into a corner of the room to speak privately. "This is informal," he said. "You can call me Rob or Robert, and unless you object I'll call you Buck."  
  
"I think I'll go with Rob, then," Buck answered, a charming grin on his face.  
  
"Alright, Buck." Robert smiled in reply. "You saw Meridina and Lucy's powers on display yesterday, of course?"  
  
"I did. It's not the first time I've seen people use mind powers of some sort, though," Buck revealed.  
  
"I suppose mind powers is a good way to refer to it in the short hand," Robert allowed. "Well, I have similar… abilities. Meridina's been teaching me like she taught Lucy, although I'm nowhere near either in raw ability."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yes. I honestly couldn't persuade a dog to chase a thrown stick with my powers," Robert confessed. "And I won't be winning any gunfights with a sword, whether it's made of memory metal or energy. No, the one thing I've found I can do with these abilities is understand people. More than ordinary, I mean."  
  
It was clear Buck was wondering where this was going, or perhaps knew and wasn't looking forward to it. "Alright. And you're bringing this up because…?"  
  
"Because when I look at you and the charming grin and the humor and all of the other things you project, that's not all I'm seeing," Robert answered. "You arrived in this time and almost immediately you started doing risky missions and jobs for Doctor Huer. You threw yourself into piloting starfighters. You put your life on the line constantly when you could just as easily live a happy life being interviewed by legions of historians."  
  
"Well, yes," Buck said. "I don't want to just sit down all day chattering with historians. I became a pilot and an astronaut to see outer space and meet challenges. And that's what I'm doing. And I'm doing it while serving in uniform, just as I did in the Air Force."  
  
Robert could sense the truth in that. But he could feel, if just a little bit, the feeling hidden under it. "I can sense that," he said. "But that's not all, is it?"  
  
Buck went silent.  
  
"You weren't just talking about Jornam earlier," Robert continued. "You were talking about yourself. And I can see why. You're just like him. A man who lost everything when he woke up in a new time. A new world." Robert waited a moment to confirm how close he was with Buck's emotional reaction. What he sensed prompted him to continue. "You left people behind, right?"  
  
After a moment Buck nodded. "Yes."  
  
Robert replied with a nod of his own. "I… I didn't lose everybody. I don't have it as bad as you. I acknowledge that. But I've still lost people I loved and cared about. And I've lost my family home and land. A century and a half of Dales farmed that land, and I lost it. I'll never be able to go back. Even if it was on another Earth… it wouldn't be the same." Robert felt the pain of that truth wash over him. He didn't deny it. He didn't let it pull him away. "And that's how I know there's a part of you, Buck, that doesn't care about living and dying anymore. You're not suicidal, no, but I don't think you care if you live or die sometimes. Am I right?"  
  
For a moment Robert thought Buck would protest hi9m. But there was nothing but silence. No, Buck couldn't deny what he said. He couldn't admit it out loud, of course. But he wasn't going to deny it. "If it saves Earth, yes, I don't mind dying," Buck said. "I'm not looking to, but I'm not going to save my skin at the expense of my world."  
  
Robert took that answer for what it was, the closest to an admission that Buck would give, and nodded. "I know that feeling." He drew in a breath. "Just as I would give my life to save the people I care about. All I want to say, then, is that I hope that this feeling doesn't lead you into throwing everything away. You've lost a lot, more than I have, but you have people in this time and place that respect you and care for you."  
  
Buck wasn't grinning now, but he wasn't frowning. A neutral, thoughtful look was on his face as he considered what Robert said. When he spoke, it was with a firm, gentle tone. "Well, Rob, I'll take that to heart. And the same goes for you. This crew, they're not just your friends and comrades. They're your family. Take care of them."  
  
"I always will," Robert pledged.  
  
There was nothing more to say. Their hands came up and they shared a firm handshake, at which point Buck left the room.  
  
When Robert went to follow, he found Meridina waiting for him. "You did the right thing," she said.  
  
"I would like to think so," Robert replied. "Well, I have to go see about this mixed ceremony. I just wish we know more about Darglan burial traditions."  
  
"I may be able to help," Meridina said. "I was connected to Jonram's mind when he lost consciousness for the final time. He gave me his final wishes."  
  
"Oh?" Robert asked. "And they are?"  
  
"You will see," Meridina replied, smiling thinly. "I will discuss them with Caterina. I believe she was the one he intended."  
  
"Well, I look forward to it," Robert said.  
  
  
  
  
That evening, Julia finished her paperwork for the day and looked out the window of her quarters toward the spinning Earth below. Her uniform was hanging in her closet and she was wearing her emerald nightrobe. Its silky surface was soothing to her skin, scrubbed clean in the shower from the day's sweat and work. She sipped at a cup of warm tea that would, ultimately, help her to sleep.  
  
Julia's mind returned to the question looming over her. It was the question that only had one guaranteed outcome: she would feel regret from it. There was no escaping it.  
  
As she looked out the window, she thought of Jonram. The Darglan had placed his sense of duty, his desire to fulfill his goals, above remaining with the ones he loved. It hadn't been easy. That was certain. But in the end, he'd made the choice. She wondered if he had agonized like she had. How easy had his decision been?  
  
Another regret. She had never been able to talk to Jonram, to ask him these things.  
  
Her thoughts wandered further to another new acquaintance. Working with Wilma Deering these last two days had been an experience. She was a leader and confident in that, just as Julia was. And it was clear Wilma would have regretted it if she hadn't reached as far as she could.  
  
Just as, in her heart, Julia knew she'd regret it if she turned down the opportunity presented to her. An opportunity she had _earned_.  
  
"This is what we signed up for," Julia murmured to herself. "We knew this could happen. We can't regret it when it does."  
  
A part of her felt pain, as she should. This decision… she would leave people behind. She would leave _Robby_ behind. He would be on his own.  
  
_Maybe that's good for him. Maybe… maybe he'll become a better commander, or maybe he'll have an easier time moving on if that's what he wants.  
  
Or maybe… maybe they'll all get killed because of something I would have seen and stopped..._  
  
Quiet passed. Julia sipped on her tea as time wore on toward the end of the day. When the cup was empty she stood up. The tea cup and saucer went back into the replicator, which reclaimed them in swirls of light. She walked up to her desk and gently eased herself into her chair. Her finger found the activation key for her personal computer unit in her quarters. The screen flashed on. "Computer, record a message for me, please. The recipient is Admiral Maran, Chairman of the Alliance Defense Staff."  
  
The computer's feminine voice immediately requested, " _Please provide personal code to verify clearance for action._ "  
  
"Andreys Charlie Gamma Echo 3392."  
  
" _Code authenticated. Ready to record message._ "  
  
"Record." Julia took in a breath. This was it. She was casting the die, and it would determine how her life, and the lives of those she cared for, would go on from here.  
  
Despite everything, there was no wavering in her voice as she spoke. "Admiral Maran, this is Commander Andreys. Sir, you have my apologies for the time it's taken me to speak to you on the manner of your offer. It was something I had to consider carefully, and I'm afraid it took longer than I expected.." Julia set her hands in her lap. "I'm sending this message, Admiral, to let you know that my answer is 'Yes'." Something twinkled in her aquamarine eyes. "I am ready, and with gratitude and confidence I accept your offer to be named Captain of the _Starship Enterprise_."  
  
  
  
 **Tag**  
  
  
  
The _Aurora_ 's launch deck was filled with uniformed men and women and beings. Caskets draped with the flags of the Alliance and Earth were arrayed on special launch gantries. Out the rear hatch of the deck, the distant light of Sol shined through the protective forcefields.  
  
Doctor Huer and Emissary Yadin were the speakers for the occasion. They praised the heroism of the dead flight crew as the friends of those lost watched on with eyes brimming with tears, shed and unshed. Colonel Deering and Commander Kane gave the orders to the ceremonial guard to fire the appropriate salutes. Said fire filled the launch deck while Chief Tayal Lagamo, a dark blue-skinned, teal-spotted Sanusa Dorei, played a remembrance hymn from the _hita_ instrument - a set of five pipes bound together like a flute. The hymn was interspersed with the bagpipe tune of "Amazing Grace" played by Junior Petty Officer Heather Cameron.  
  
Then, in one complete group, the caskets were launched out into space.  
  
The service did not end there. One last casket was brought up. This casket was covered in a unique flag, replicated specifically for this service after consultation with the various sources of information about the Darglan. The insignia was a stylized emblem that reminded Robert of an atom, an atom being refracted through mirrors as if to show more than one, although the actual symbol was a Darglan emblem representing unity and discovery. All music stopped.  
  
After discussion, and learning what was to be said, no eulogy was given. The Darglan believed in memorializing their fallen after the fact, but not during their burial ceremony. That was a time to reflect on the loss of a living being; remembrance was for later. Or so the records, and what Meridina had learned, had said.  
  
With sad tears and a determined expression, Caterina stepped up to the dais and the podium. All eyes turned to her as she looked down at Jonram's casket. She was in full dress uniform, as they were, and despite her small stature Robert felt that Caterina was looking the part well. She swallowed and raised her head. For a moment her eyes closed as she brought the words from her memory, words she had been memorizing with Meridina's help for the past two days.  
  
_All who are born walk a road  
The road of choice and chance  
We walk in hope of our future  
That those we walk alongside  
Will know a better path for our efforts  
  
All things change, all things strive  
As atoms spin and fuse  
The past can guide, but should not blind  
For our future must be seen  
If it is to be  
  
We seek to grow  
We seek to learn  
That is the core of life  
For life's sake knowledge is gained  
For with knowledge comes growth  
  
Like children leaving their cradles  
Now we have come out to the void  
With the stars of infinity our guide  
Solar winds will carry us on  
New discoveries the reward for our dedication  
  
For what is Reality but the existence of all  
And what is existence but a chance to learn?  
We learn, we grow, and by our knowledge  
Reality itself comes alive  
And we grow closer to understanding it  
  
Now my road has ended  
Cry not tears for me  
Knowledge is what I gift  
My growth the map for your benefit  
And my matter returned to the source of life  
  
For matter cannot be destroyed  
It is only transformed  
And we came from starstuff, all and one  
And to starstuff we return  
To one day become life anew_  
  
By the time she was finished the tears were streaming down Caterina's face. She nodded quietly to Julia. Julia, in turn, looked to the ceremonial pallbearers. Meridina, Lucy, and Buck were joined symbolically by Robert, Huer, and Leo. They picked up Jornam's casket and moved it to a launch platform. After they stood to the side, Caterina was the one who walked to the launch controls and keyed the sequence.  
  
With a great heave, the platform launched the casket into space. A small thruster powered by a microfusion core fired, directing the remains of the last Darglan on toward their final destination in Sol.  
  
Julia pressed a key to close the launch deck door. Once it was closed, she declared, "Burial company dismissed!" and the ceremony broke up.  
  
Caterina was met at the door by Lucy and Meridina. "Jornam would have been quite proud of you," Meridina assured her.  
  
"Thank you," Cat answered. "I just wish I didn't have to give it."  
  
"I know." Meridina set a hand on Caterina's shoulder.  
  
Caterina, however, looked to Lucy. "What did you do with that database that he gave you?"  
  
"I put it away in my quarters," Lucy answered. She knew where this was going. "Do you want to meet me in Science Lab 1 later? We can start analyzing it."  
  
To that, Caterina nodded. "Yes. I think I'd like that. And it's what he'd want. He'd want us to learn more."  
  
Lucy and Meridina nodded in agreement and joined Caterina in heading on to the Lookout.  
  
  
  
The Lookout was becoming crowded by the time Julia and Robert arrived at its doors. Earth and Alliance personnel were mingling freely as Hargert's staff brought up food and drinks for their benefit.  
  
Just before they entered, Julia gestured to Robert to follow her. Despite the crowd they found that there was a spot near the door where they could be relatively alone. Once there Robert met her eye to eye and asked, "Okay, what's on your mind?"  
  
"I said yes," she said.  
  
Robert immediately knew what she meant. After trying to think of a proper reaction he settled for nodding and saying, "Congratulations, Captain Andreys."  
  
Julia gave him a droll look. "I'm not a Captain until New Year's. Admiral Maran's going to make it official in a few weeks and I'll be here until a few days after Christmas."  
  
"Right." Robert let a grin form on his face. "Congratulations, Julia. Do you mind if I announce it to everyone?"  
  
"I suppose it's better to get it out of the way," Julia said.  
  
With that permission given, Robert went to the bar where Albert, Hargert's protege, was preparing more drinks. A few whispered words and thirty seconds later a tone sounded over the speakers, ending all conversation. Sets of eyes began to turn toward Robert and to Julia, who stepped up beside him. "I have an announcement to make," Robert said, using the speaker system himself so he didn't have to make his voice too loud. "It is my honor and privilege to introduce to you my oldest and best friend in the Multiverse. Everyone, applause for _Captain_ Julia Andreys, the new Commanding Officer of the Alliance _Starship Enterprise_!"  
  
"Aye!" shouted Scotty. "Three cheers an' a toast for th' Captain of th' _Enterprise!_ "  
  
Pink turned to slight red on Julia's cheeks at the resulting cheers and applause, joined by the clinking of glasses and cups.  
  
Once this had died down the two made their way to a table where Doctor Huer and Buck were eying a table laden with Texan and Southwestern food. Wilma stood behind Buck and winked at Julia, who winked back.  
  
"Are you sure about this, Doctor Huer?" asked Theopolis from his place hanging on Twiki's chest. "You were quite unwell the last time you attempted 20th Century cuisine."  
  
"That's because Buck cooked it," Wilma said. Buck gave her a faux-angry look.  
  
"Yes, well…" Huer chuckled a little nervously. "The other people in the Alliance eat this, obviously. Perhaps I should learn too." He picked up a burrito and, after a moment of hesitation, took a bite. His eyes widened and he slowly started to chew.  
  
"Well, Doc?" Buck asked. "What do you think?"  
  
When he swallowed, Huer quickly took a drink. "I think…" He looked over the meal again. "...it's not so bad. It's certainly edible..." Huer looked to Buck. "...not that your efforts weren't edible, Buck, it's just… I suppose this fits my appetite better."  
  
"You don't have to protect my feelings," Buck insisted. "I know you two hate my cooking."  
  
"Well, it was certainly…"  
  
"...special?" Julia offered for Huer.  
  
Buck gave her a look that told her he didn't consider that any better a compliment.  
  
"Well, I suppose we could ask Hargert if he's willing to give Buck lessons," Robert suggested. That won him a playful glare as well.  
  
"Biddi-biddi-biddi, everyone's a critic," groused Twiki.  
  
"At least someone here is rushing to my defense," Buck said. "Now let's see what's so special about this…" He snatched up the chili on the table and took a spoonful of it for himself. Once it was in his mouth, his expression shifted to surprise and a little contentment.  
  
"Judging by the look on your face, Buck, I'd say even you're a convert to the Church of Hargert's Cooking," Julia remarked, grinning widely.  
  
Buck finished swallowing, took a drink of offered water, and sighed. "Alright," he said. "I admit it. I'm defeated. I can't match your cook. This is the best chili I've had in, oh… centuries."  
  
Given the humorous glimmer in his eye and the delivery of his concession, it was no surprise that everyone at or near the table broke out laughing.


End file.
